Why are we here? It’s a question that all people who are on this side of glory struggle with. In order to feel the joys of achieving a goal, we need to have a purpose. We need to have some understanding of what life is and how we came into being. In order to grasp what our purpose is, we need to answer that question: Why are we here???
Black Rock… It used to be an annual tradition. For about 15 years, the Men of the church would spend a weekend at the Black Rock Retreat Center in Quarryville PA for a time of study, worship, and fellowship.
But then Covid came along. The tradition took a break and then got sidetracked. But Black Rock is beckoning again, and we’re ready to gather together.
Why are we going? This year’s retreat will not only be a return to “tradition,” it will also be a fresh chance to answer that age old question: “Why am I here”? What is life and what am I supposed to do with it?
Men’s Retreat 2024
Unlike previous retreats, this event isn’t specifically for the “United Methodist Men” of Pitman United Methodist Church. Instead, we’re reaching out to all men of the community. Friends- new and old- have responded and are planning to join in this “Greater Pitman Men’s Retreat”.
The retreat sessions will be led by Pastor Shane Ross of the Pitman Church of the Nazarene. Pastor Shane’s topic is entitled, “What Are You Doing Here: Elijah, Peter, and Purpose.”
For details on the “Who, What, When, Where” of the retreat, check out the below PDF file:
(click/tap the up down arrows to cycle through the pages)
Mens Retreat 2024
Black Rock
The Men of PUMC have many fond memories of our weekends at Black Rock, and they are looking forward to creating new memories, making new friends, and growing closer to Christ. Here are some glimpses of past retreats:
What are We Doing Here?
Pastor Shane will use Elijah and Peter as examples of people who struggled with that “Why am I Here?” question. But they discovered their purpose and lived it out to the full.
Elijah…
We first meet Elijah in 1 Kings 17. We don’t know much about his background, but when he enters the pages of scriptures we see that he already had a relationship with God. Elijah lived in the Northern kingdom of Israel when the wicked king Ahaz was ruling. Somewhere along the line, God told Elijah that there would be a drought in the land and that he should tell Ahaz.
Elijah obeyed. The drought came and withered the land. Streams dried up and crops died. But God led Elijah to a brook that hadn’t dried up yet. So Elijah obeyed and lived at the Kerith Brook, eating food brought to him by ravens. But after a while, the brook did dry up and the ravens and food stopped coming.
God then led Elijah to a widow whom He had instructed to feed Elijah. The widow only had a handful of flour and a few drops of oil in the bottom of a jug. The widow said, “let’s eat this last meal and then my son and I will die.” But Elijah had faith in the God who had been taking care of him and he encouraged the widow. And… the flour and oil never ran out!
Months later (in 1 Kings 18), God told Elijah to go back to Ahab and set up a little contest. Elijah and the prophets of Baal both set up a sacrifice, each placing a bull on an altar of wood. The prophets of Baal called on their “god” to bring down fire to their altar. But nothing happened. After taunting the false prophets while Baal “slept”, Elijah doused his altar with water (anything to even the contest and make it “more fair”). After the prophets of Baal gave up, Elijah prayed to God, and fire immediately flashed down from heaven. God’s fire licked up all of the water, consumed the sacrifice, and killed the false prophets. Elijah trusted God and, and God included him in His victory (and ended the drought).
But then his faith was tested. Queen Jezebel resolved to kill Elijah, so he fled. He had just seen God perform this miracle, but he began to doubt his purpose. His running led him to a broom tree in the desert. He was alone and depressed. But God was faithful, and He came to Elijah to feed him and strengthen him. God then led Elijah back to Damascus and to Elisha, who was to be his successor.
It may seem that Elijah’s doubt led him to defeat, but his relationship with God overcame the doubt. In the end, the mantel was transferred to Elisha, and Elijah was taken to heaven in a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2:11). Elijah didn’t die a human death. Instead, he was ushered into heaven to eternally be with the God he loved.
Life was difficult and there were moments of doubt, but Elijah kept his focus on God. His purpose in life was to obey God and to trust in His goodness.
Peter…
When we first meet Peter, he was an average first century dude. He scratched out a living by fishing. He spent his nights in a boat casting nets into the Sea of Galilee. After a full shift of pulling nets full of fish into his boat, he’d row ashore, mend the nets, and then get ready to do it all over again. It paid the bills and put food on the table. But was it LIFE? Was there more to life than and endless cycle of work?
One morning while he was cleaning the nets, a preacher named Jesus came by and asked Peter if He could borrow his boat. The story is told in Luke 5:1-11. Jesus used Peter’s boat as a “stage” to address the crowd. When He finished speaking, He turned to Peter’s needs: “Put out into the deep water and let down the nets for a catch.”
Fishermen on the Sea of Galilee
Even though he was an expert in fishing, Peter tried doing what this stranger suggested. He ended up catching so many fish that the boat began to sink! Peter was in awe and fear as he struggled to return to shore. When he landed with a catch bigger than he could ever manage by himself, he fell to his knees to worship Jesus. Instead of spending all of his time on nets, boats, and fish, he turned his attention to God. Jesus gave him a new purpose: “Don’t be afraid. From now on, you will catch men.”
Peter spent the rest of his life telling others about Jesus; what He taught, how He lived, and how He rose again from the dead. Later in life, Peter thanked God by writing, “In his (God’s) great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ… into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade- kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3-4). Fishing was in his blood, but it no longer filled his days. Jesus changed Peter’s purpose, and Peter’s life held joy, hope, and eternity instead of boats, nets and fish.
Us???
Towards the end of his ministry, Elijah is despondent and hiding in a cave, fearful for his life. He spent a lifetime serving the Lord, and yet people were trying to kill him. In 1 Kings 19:9, the Lord speaks to Elijah and asks this simple question:
“What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Actually, it’s a short question but it’s not so simple. It’s a question that all of us have to struggle with.
Why are WE here? Some of us work at a job each day. We feel some level of accomplishment and satisfaction at our jobs. But we go on from day to day with no real purpose other than to earn enough money to put food on the table, gas in the car, and to make it to the next day. That life has sometimes been referred to as the “rat race.” Is that how we’re spending our days on earth?
Some of us are retired and we spend our savings on trips, entertainment, and on keeping what we have. We may love to spend time with our spouses or grandkids, but those fun times quickly fade into memories.
What lasts? What are we accomplishing that has lasting impact? Where are we headed? What is our call?
Like Elijah and Peter, God offers us purpose. There are moments when we may doubt and fear. We wander off the path that once seemed so clear and we loose sight of God. We run and hide in a “cave.” But somewhere in the darkness of that cave, God comes to us. He asks, “What are you doing here?” Our wandering often leads us to an encounter with God. He causes us to reflect on the direction of our lives and then re-connects us with His eternal purpose. God has plans for us that we can’t even imagine. When we encounter Jesus and His life-changing power, He dispels our fears and doubts, resets our goals, and leads us to the lasting fulfillment that we could never reach on our own.
+ + + + +
For more about other Men’s Group activities, click this button: Men’s Group
