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News
Every day people are bombarded with thousands of negative messages, face life-changing situations, and are constantly sidelined by transitions such as the death of a loved one, loss of a job, moving to a new city, debilitating diseases, and raising a family. Nashville-based Upper Room Ministries, a ministry of the United Methodist General Board of Discipleship (GBOD), offers a countercultural experience that transforms and renews the mind, body, and spirit of people who are burned-out, stressed-out, and in need of a "time-out" from life's unending hustle and bustle. SOULfeast connects persons of faith with spiritual practices that encourage them to embrace disciplines that lead to a closer connection with God, through Jesus Christ.
"I really enjoy the workshops where I can do hands-on things, reflect with other people and think about things in new ways, and I always find that the Holy Spirit reveals new things to me in this place in a special way. That's always a highlight for me. I always get new ideas about who I am and what I am to be as a Christian when I leave this place," says former Baptist, Karen Borchert, now minister for Children and Families at First United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tenn. The event theme, "The Heart of Pilgrimage: Living By the Spirit," was undergirded by the Eucharistic Prayer, "By your Holy Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes again in final victory and we feast at his holy banquet." SOULfeast Offers a Feast for the SoulThey came by the droves to hear a word from God through the Rev. Marjorie Thompson, author of Soulfeast and a Presbyterian minister who led the morning plenary sessions; the Rev. Rudy Rasmus, pastor of St. John's Downtown (UMC) in Houston, Texas, who preached evening worship services; worship artist Marcia McFee and numerous speakers who led "a feast of workshops" during the four-day spiritual formation conference. SOULfeast practices what it preaches by giving participants time alone with God for prayer, listening and reflection; it's not about food for the body, but rather food for the soul.
"I've been in the midst of a group of people who have taken their spiritual formation to another level. They have taken spiritual formation to a place where they have allowed it to not only affect their own lives positively, but they have been extremely willing to tell me that they're praying for me. That's been refreshing. So it's been good. It has really been a feast. I'm a soul brother and it has been soul food actually. And it has been food for my soul," he said. When world editor and Upper Room publisher, the Rev. Stephen Bryant, informally surveyed the audience, he discovered people from as far away as New York, California, Arizona, New Jersey, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Maine, Texas, Virginia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. Baptists, Episcopalians, Church of God in Christ, Presbyterians, UCC, American Baptists, Lutherans, Disciples of Christ and United Methodists filled Stuart Auditorium at Lake Junaluska. SoulFeast Has Something for Everyone; It's a Family Affair
Many of this year's attendees have been coming to SOULfeast since its inception, because the event offers something for the whole family. Borchert, who attended a workshop on "Life Transitions and Tangible Prayers" led by Cynthia Langston Kirk, has attended Soulfeast for four years. She says the event has become the highlight of the summer for her and her two daughters."I knew that the Methodists were good at spiritual formation. I had had classes in seminary, so I know they're good at it," she said. SOULfeast also offers participants a time of Sabbath rest and promises a time of healing, restoration, and renewal for the journey. Leslee Wray, a United Methodist pastor from Mt. Gilead, North Carolina, and a first-time attendee, was looking for continuing education opportunities for her position as a hospice chaplain and just happened to Google Upper Room and found SOULfeast on the Internet. "When I saw that it had opportunities for my whole family, that was really just great. We're all here. The kids are involved in Way of the Child. My husband is here. He's also a pastor. "It's been very restful and very peaceful. I have really enjoyed making some new friends, and that's really been a special grace that I don't think I had anticipated. "To have your youngest child say, 'Mom, set the alarm clock. We can't be late tomorrow.' And just to see my kids really enjoy being in a special place of spiritual formation, has really been nice," said Wray. Invitation to Grow "Marjorie Thompson has been very inspiring, and she really helps you think more in-depth about your own relationship with Christ (in a very gracious and gentle way) and really offers a compelling invitation [for you] to grow in a deeper relationship to Jesus Christ in a very gentle way, so that even if you are not where she is you feel like this is something [you] want to do," Wray said. Shelor Smith, an elder at Sandston Presbyterian Church in Sandston, Va., just outside of Richmond, is attending her fifth SOULfeast.
Marjorie's messages have always been the gentlest things. Listening to her was like being hit by a velvet hammer, because you are convicted by the things that she said and you realize where you had slipped up a little bit," Smith said. The Rev. Marina Gopadze, pastor of a Presbyterian church (USA) in Buchanan, Virginia, has been coming to SOULfeast since it started five years ago. She says (laughing) she will be back next year -- unless she's dead! Gopadze enjoys attending practical workshops that she can take back to her congregation to "raise them up in spiritual formation and discipleship training to be more into the mission of Christ and our own community." "A conference isn't made by plenary organization and workshop organization leaders. A conference is made by the people who attend it and the facilitators' willingness to share authentically of themselves and not just [share] information. It can't be just information for it to be effective. In this environment it has been what I would call tangible, says Rudy Rasmus." James Rose of Sumter, South Carolina, has been coming to Lake Junaluska for military retreats since 1989. He found out about SOULfeast through the Upper Room devotional guide. Rose says, "this time was like coming home. There are 503 people here and I know nobody. I have met friends that I will continue to stay in touch with long after I leave here. We exchanged addresses and phone numbers. The Lord allowed me to be here to represent him. I received confirmation of some things and God opened doors right before me in an uncomplicated approach to situations. Next year's event will be held July 12-16, 2009, in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina and will be organized under the theme, "Show Me Your Ways, O Lord." The Rev. Trevor Hudson from the Republic of South Africa will be the keynote speaker. The General Board of Discipleship's mission is to support annual conference and local church leaders for their task of equipping world-changing disciples. An agency of The United Methodist Church, GBOD (www.gbod.org) is located at 1908 Grand Ave. in Nashville, Tenn. For more information, call the Media Relations Office toll free at 877-899-2780, ext. 7017.
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