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On a beautiful summer night, approximately 50 people turned out for the annual Small Christian Community Picnic at Wauban Park near Minnehaha Falls. Perhaps it was the promise of delicious picnic fare in a glorious urban setting, but I think it was the promise of the people - all genuinely delighted to see each other and to share the news and activities of their groups.
Small Christian Communities at St. Joan of Arc consist of 6-15 individuals who meet on a regular basis to connect their lives more closely with the Christian stories. Some groups are very active within the community, doing service projects or organizing events. Other groups are more socially orientated - meeting regularly for breakfast or dinner. Still others focus on discussion and reflection - the bible study group that meets on Tuesdays being a good example. All members are committed to examining faith in their lives and to exploring what this means within a group setting. Small Christian Communities are dynamic - always forming, folding or morphing. They are a rich place to meet new people or connect with those folks you always see across the aisle at church.
The annual Small Christian Community Picnic is the event that brings them all together and for me, my second Small Christian Community activity. I had joined a group in May and was looking forward to seeing and visiting with my group members again.
 St. Joan of Arc currently has around 50 Small Christian Communities. New SCC Formation Meetings are typically held twice a year in Hospitality Hall. |  |
I arrived late to the picnic and was met with the sight of many rows of people, all lined up at long tables. They were eating and laughing - enjoying a perfect summer night without too many mosquitoes. I intended to dive into the brats and the many bowls of green salads, fruit salads, potato salads and pastas, but I got caught up in visiting. I really wanted to know what was happening in people's lives since the last time I saw them. It wasn't until someone mentioned that there was only one piece of peach pie left that I knew I had to move quickly - to the desert table of course.
Imagine my delight to see rows of chocolate cake, berry crisps, fruit pies and cookies. My favorite desert turned out to be a pan éclair - with a delicate flaky crust, banana-custard filling and mounds of whipped cream. I knew heaven was around me. I took my plate of deserts back to my table and met the quizzical eyes of a fellow SCC member - "aren't you going to eat regular food first," he asked. "Ummmm - no." I said.
At first people stayed close to their fellow group members but that changed as the picnic progressed. Soon, people were jumping from table to table and group lines blurred. I met several new people that night - many of whom I've seen at other church events. It was fun to finally put names to faces and think about all that additional Sunday-morning socializing. I may have to start coming at 10:30 for the 11 o’clock service I realized.
The picnic began winding down as the sun started setting. Although the food was packed up - pockets of people lingered - chatting away. It was clear how important the Small Christian Communities were to people's lives. And I know my group has already had an important impact on my life. I can hardly wait for the July gathering (and I'll have to bring pan éclairs.)
If you are interested in finding out more about Small Christian Communities, visit the Web page on this site under Adult Formation. You may also send questions to the staff liaison, Tom Smith-Myott, tomfsm@stjoan.com.
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