Minus One and plus sixty…
(What makes us useful?)
Our Bible tells us ‘Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!’ – Psalm 133:1. For our Friday meeting members, this quote holds a significant meaning. At the end of the week, after our work and the challenges of daily life, we meet together.
Sometimes it is a meeting and sometimes it is an outing, or a quiet coffee. Everything helps us to fond the balance in our hearts that lets us face another week.
Not everyone comes to this group for the same reason. There are those that come here because they are looking for someone to talk to, to learn something new, to meet with friends or to spend time with their partners.
With these things we foster compassion amongst ourselves while we continue going through our lives, even though we do not always agree one with the other – but despite this, the purposes that this group serves are worth looking after like the greatest of treasures! For this I thank each and every one of us.
From time to time this leads us to a great appreciation of what this group like ours serves to the widow/widower community.
The beneficial impact of a group is not measured by the number of activities that are carried out – although they are good things that encourage and maintain the engagement of our members.
We cannot even measure the impact of a group by the number of members that comprise it – even though there is strength in number and unity.
The beneficial impact of a group is measured by the manner in which its’ members consider one another, how the members are welcomed, and how their burdens are made lighter by being shared among others.
While each member contributes to the betterment of group, the group also contributes to the betterment of its members by allowing them to express that which they think, and feel. A good group is measured by the empathy and compassion that it fosters amongst its members!
For this to take place, each one has to do their part. The Committee listens to the members and create opportunities and occasions for interaction. The attending members are able to hold open discussion with the Committee, and the Committee listens.
Every message, be it one that brings good news or even those that bring bad news, brings with it a growth, which allow for friendships become stronger, and help is given when needed.
I thank everyone for their work. I thank everyone for thinking about one another. This is what makes us useful to the community, this is how a good impact is measured.
Fr. Saviour