Then Joseph said to his brothers,
“Come closer to me.” And they came closer.
Genesis 45:4
How thankful I was to receive an invitation to come and see what was happening at Trinity UMC in Red Springs during their week of ministry in partnership with Congregations for Children (https://nccumc.org/c4c/). Upon my arrival, I snapped the above photo, after Lisa Oxendine had placed recently tie-dyed shirts along the fence, representing the children who were participating in the weeklong ministry.
When I entered the fellowship hall, I was immediately overwhelmed by the colorful display of activities and the energy of hearing young voices throughout the space. A couple of children were working with an adult volunteer along the far wall, another adult volunteer was preparing for the next group activity around the tables, and another adult volunteer provided a quick summary of all that was going on down the hallway, where more children were engaged in learning. This is where I headed to next, and my first stop was a carpeted room with 6 children sitting on the floor, engaged in a lesson on Jesus feeding the 5,000. Pastor Reggie and Steven, another adult volunteer, had arranged themselves on the floor with the children, sitting alongside together in a circle. It was an absolutely safe sanctuary space where children were able to actively engage with the story as they practiced their reading skills, with bread, cups, and goldfish all serving to bring the story to life.
How encouraging to witness the story of Jesus being shared with the children as they took turns reading and answering questions Pastor Reggie and Steven offered. How exciting to see multigenerational ministry happening on a Thursday morning in Red Springs. How thankful I was to celebrate love in action, as children were challenged and encouraged to read and learn together. Thanks be to God!
There was no evidence of heartache or pain, or trouble in my short visit that morning. However, Pastor Reggie was so helpful in explaining the challenges many children face throughout the community and the needs they have in their educational journey. In my observations, the time spent being together with other children during a weeklong summer initiative was truly making an impact on their well-being. Lots of laughter, lots of reading and math skills being practiced, and lots of energy from all the adult and youth volunteers willing to be alongside the children.
In the story of Joseph being reunited with his brothers (Genesis 45), there was plenty of emotion going on between the brothers. Joseph wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. That’s the kind of crying that exhausts you, Amen? And when Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” his brothers were so shocked they could not answer him, so dismayed were they at [Joseph’s] presence. Stunned into silence, with no idea what to say. So Joseph interrupts this awkward moment and the silence with, “Come closer to me.” Then it gets real. Real truth, shared with so much love, with an abundance of God’s mercy pouring out over the entire conversation, as Joseph explains to his brothers God’s purpose.
In the busy-ness of my daily life, I too often get caught up in the details, the to-do list, the emails, phone calls, and text messages, and miss the holy moments where it gets real. So often, those holy moments are places where I have taken the time to slow down, to actively listen, and encounter the person standing before me.
“Come closer to me,” Joseph said and out poured his heart. I believe that’s what I witnessed last week alongside the children at Trinity UMC as they drew close to hear the story of Jesus.
Blessings,
David
The photo above, taken by Rev. David Blackman
Tie dyed shirts, Trinity UMC, Red Springs – 8/3/2023