APCE 2019: Revived at the Water’s Edge

  1. APCE 2019: Anticipation
  2. APCE 2019: “Come to the Water”
  3. APCE 2019: The tide is changing
  4. APCE 2019: Engaging young Christians in social justice
  5. APCE 2019: How does Jesus respond to generational suffering?
  6. APCE 2019: Revived at the Water’s Edge

BY MARCY WRIGHT

“Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters”  – Isaiah 55:1

The theme of APCE 2019 begins with a shout! “Ho!” It’s a clarion call to those who find themselves in many ways at the edge of their own lives to draw near to the life-giving and life-sustaining waters that only God can offer.

As I reflect on my four days at the conference, I realize that I needed both the physical and spiritual proximity of the water to revive a sense of dryness that had crept into my life.   Standing so close to the mighty Gulf of Mexico proved to be an incredible balm for my restless spirit.  Staring at the waters and waves each day brought a calm and peace that I didn’t know I needed.  That’s often the case with our relationship with water.  Even though our physical bodies need proper hydration to keep us performing at an optimal level, we often don’t realize that we’re running on empty until symptoms of excess thirst, fatigue and confusion set in.

That’s often how our spiritual lives operate as well. We need to be continually steeped in the waters of grace and mercy, prayer and worship.  We need to be bathed in pools of community and fellowship where encouragement, celebration and ongoing learning can continue to nourish and strengthen our journey of discipleship, journey that can sometimes leave us parched, fatigued and confused.

Prayer, worship, and fellowship.  I experienced all those things this week at APCE. Seminary presents wonderful opportunities to learn, but there is nothing like being surrounded by your peers, making new friends, sharing experiences, and imagining new and creative ideas for ministry.  The workshops I attended, from how to engage youth in social justice, to the role of the pastor in forming followers of Jesus, all left me full to overflowing with new energy and a renewed commitment to my call.  Through APCE, God has gifted me with renewal.  It is from that renewed place that I hope to pour out God’s blessings of love, peace and justice to everyone I meet in ministry today and in the future. HO!

Marcy Wright is a student at Union Presbyterian Seminary.