Throughout this week, Joy has been asking everyone if we believe that our group can be referred to as “church.” I initially dismissed that notion, because of the connotation of the word. The denotation of the word, however, is a “body of Christians worshipping in a particular building or constituting one congregation.” I think that, after today, everyone here at Project Burning Bush would agree that we have become a “church.” The most important aspect of this definition is the latter: “constituting one congregation.”
Today, I feel that we established a real bond with one another. I would say that the bond began to solidify at dinnertime. We went to a very relaxing restaurant called the Positive Vibes Café. This was a unique experience, as the restaurant was a non-profit organization that employs many handicapped workers, training them to work in other restaurants. The dinner was delicious, and the company pleasant and comfortable.
When we got back to Union, we met for a group meeting in the Richmond basement. This was where we truly solidified the communal bonds that we had been building all week. We laughed together, but mostly cried as we shared our joys, sorrows and life stories into the wee hours of the morning. Now, I feel as though I truly understand and love every person here. We can understand each other’s strengths while being able to sympathize with their shortcomings knowing what everyone has been through to get to where they are today. Project Burning Bush has truly been the experience of a lifetime.
