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On a beautiful summer night last week, approximately three dozen people
turned out for the annual Small Christian Community Picnic at Wauban
Park near Minnehaha Falls. The sun was shining and the mood was bright
as people gathered to catch up on each other's lives and discuss the
latest news in the parish and the world around them.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. 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 people you always see across the aisle at church.
There are nearly 50 Small Christian Communities at St. Joan of Arc and the annual Small Christian Community Picnic is the event that brings them all together. Through bites of potato salad, hamburgers and watermelon, people learn about each other's groups and enjoy the fellowship that comes with sharing a common mission.
The picnic offered a wide array of food - from hamburgers, chicken and
hotdogs provided by the parish, to the rows of salads, fruit, chips and
deserts brought by the attendees. This year, people chose to squish
into three tables rather than spread across the picnic area. This
provided a great opportunity to meet a range of people and hear their
stories and opinions on a host of topics. For me, I was delighted to
see the newest member of my Small Christian Community, and talk to her
mom whom she brought as well.
The laughter and story-telling continued well past 8 p.m. I was surprised at how fast the time flew. As the food was packed up, pockets of people lingered - chatting away. It was clear how much people enjoyed the picnic.
Small Christian Communities are forming on a regular basis. If you are interested in finding out more about them, visit the Web page on this site under Adult Formation. You may also send questions to the staff liaison and organizer of the annual picnic, Tom Smith-Myott, at tsmith.myott@stjoan.com.
Thanks Tom for another great event!
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