Worship at Yosemite
by Jessica Kim
One thing about trips is that no matter the amount of planning that is put into making a trip happen, the experience and memories are unpredictable. Family trips are a great way of making special and lasting memories among loved ones, and church trips are no different. The Riverside Korean SDA church took a weekend cabin trip to Yosemite this past October, which made that particular Sabbath unique by spending it in God’s incredible nature.
Our roles, our friends, our actions and words—they had all become familiar and eventually dull, including at church. Going on the camping trip gave us a chance to enjoy each other’s company in a different environment. It gave us a chance to find similar interests with one another, like those who seek adventures and others who would rather stay cozy near the fireplace. It gave us a reason to talk and to get to know each other on a more meaningful level during the eight-hour car ride.
We may not have had church in a sanctuary that weekend, but we were able to live out church through the worship, conversations, and “family” bonding--moments that we brought back home with us. Through such memories, we were able to grow in support and appreciation of one another for what we do and who we are, not merely going to the same church, but by truly creating a family on the foundation of God.