Over Memorial Day Weekend, May 24–27, the Charlotte congregation hosted its tenth annual Singles’ Weekend, the fifth since adopting the guiding idea of “Building Relationships in Christ”—abbreviated as “BRiC.” Sixty-one singles from around the continental United States joined us this year for the event and enjoyed warm and pleasant weather throughout.
This year’s theme was “Staying in the Center of God’s Will,” and the planners, under the guidance of Mr. Jacob Hall, went to work weeks in advance to prepare activities that reinforced it. The hallmark of the BRiC Weekend—the TED Talk-inspired “BRiC Talks”—most strongly emphasized this theme, but every activity was carefully planned to reflect some aspect of making God’s ways and principles part of our daily lives.
Regarding the BRiC Talks themselves, we heard from Dr. Scott Winnail, Mr. Wallace Smith, and Mr. Mike DeSimone—all ministers serving at LCG’s Charlotte, North Carolina Headquarters office. Each speaker gave advice and stirring personal examples about how to remain in the center of God’s will.
Dr. Winnail gave strategies involving prayer, emphasizing three ways to use this powerful tool as a means to seek God’s will: prayerfully seeking wise counsel, praying for a greater desire for and recognition of God’s will, and praying more specifically for the things God wants us to experience.
Mr. Smith spoke about how “seeking God’s will” isn’t meant to be a substitute for applying the principles He’s already given us and using them to make the best decisions we can. He said that seeking God’s will shouldn’t be like looking for answers from a toy “Magic 8-Ball” and reminded his audience that God has spoken to us through His word.
Mr. DeSimone provided the capstone personal example when he shared a lesson about “driving” against God’s will. He recounted a day in his life when he chose to go against all advice and warning signs by making an unnecessary and dangerous road trip through terrible weather conditions to see his future wife.
Following the BRiC Talks, the singles sat down to a Greek-inspired catered meal, followed by the Saturday-evening dance. On Sunday morning came the Charlotte Uptown Challenge, in which multiple teams of participants took to the streets of the Queen City in search of scavenger hunt items and “challenge stations.” Challenges this year included Bible Charades, cooperative physical activities, and a run through the First Ward playground water fountain. All the challenges reflected different aspects of the theme of the weekend, which helped to keep the teams focused on a larger goal than simply winning the Uptown Challenge.
After a long day in the sun, all made their way to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Rod McNair for an out-on-the-farm cookout and bonfire sing-along, which many have described as their favorite part of the weekend.
Finally, on Monday morning, the tired but still enthusiastic singles gathered to hear an address from the pastor of the Charlotte congregation, Mr. John Strain. He spoke about the crucial differences that distinguish data, information, and knowledge from each other, and the importance of holding on to the true knowledge we have been given. His lesson: Obeying the truth of God is fundamental to staying in the center of His will in a troubled world. After this, a number of attendees went to a local park for some Ultimate Frisbee before saying their goodbyes.
The Charlotte congregation would like to thank everyone who came for helping to make this year’s BRiC weekend such an enjoyable and positive experience. As some participants happily observed, the BRiC weekend created a wonderful atmosphere for meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends, which so fittingly follows the overall purpose of “Building Relationships in Christ.” The final takeaway from the weekend is to keep our eyes on the goal and keep aiming for the center of the target—God’s will and our place in His glorified family!
