Opening Ceremony

OK, I realize that the “Opening Ceremony” to the 2010 National Engaged Encounter Convention will be NO WHERE NEAR the extravaganza that was displayed at the Opening Ceremony for the 2010 Winter Olympics last week. HOWEVER, I couldn’t help but think about the planning and execution of our big event as I watched that big (major, mondo, worldwide!) event. Both are a labor of love. I thought about the executive producer/artistic director of the Opening Ceremony, David Atkins, and how, if I were in his shoes, I’d be so beyond freakishly excited, nervous, exuberant, hopeful and yet filled with trepidation all at the same time. It all comes down to one day. One moment. Months – YEARS – of planning all build up to this ONE momentous point in time. It’s like your wedding day or training for a marathon or the day you’re ordained – you spend countless hours preparing, working, crying, sweating, practicing and praying, and then in an instant the very moment you’ve prepared for has come and gone.

Now, obviously, the Olympics have a much larger stage, a MUCH larger budget (um, just a bit) and a MUCH, MUCH larger audience to whom they must raise their curtain. And David Atkins – while preparing for the 4000-person spectacle – worked laboriously, at times for 20 hours a day. I’m hoping we won’t have to pull those kinds of hours! But he did say, towards the end, that things went so well they ended up cancelling scheduled rehearsals. They were superfluous as the volunteers were so phenomenal.

I DO hope that we’ll be able to cancel meetings and work parties, but…wait a second…actually, no I don’t. We have such an incredible community and Engaged Encounter family that often our meetings are just a cover for a family-type bumpin’ potluck and good ‘ol party! We come together in prayer and fellowship and fun. And quite frankly, even when it is a WORK PARTY or a MEETING, it rarely feels like work! So, thank you, the Convention-deciders-that-decided-on-Seattle for giving us such a GREAT excuse to come together with our familEE and partEE…I mean work VERY hard and have lots of mEEtings.

So, here’s to an Opening CONVENTION Ceremony that will rival any ‘ol Olympics Opening Ceremony any ‘ol time! ChEErs!

‘Til next time...
Lots of love and prayers,
Jenny & Mike Martin
Rich & Sue Stockinger