Day One ~ Nashville to Shady Grove

I'm posting this today (Monday) because we didn't have access to an internet signal last night. In a little while, I'll post something about today's adventures.

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After a couple days of orientation, we had a morning of packing up and eating and waiting around and participating in Sunday School class at Vine Street Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). We went to their adult Sunday school, after which we listened to a pastor from the Congo talk about his congregation of Congolese immigrants, and about the situation in his home country.

Then, we circled up for a beginning devotion and blessing, loaded up on our bikes, and started riding. A little ways through part of Nashville, and we made it to the Natchez Trace Parkway.

The Trace is beautiful. We rode along rolling hills, past beautiful farms and buildings that are falling down. Up and down, around sweeping curves in the road, past other cyclists as very little traffic besides motorcyclists passed us, we had a fantastic day riding.

We rolled into the little village of Shady Grove, Tennesee and up to the United Methodist church building where we're staying tonight. We got an amazing reception as we arrived. Once all of us had arrived, the members of the congregation drove us to their homes for showers, after which we returned to a crowded fellowship hall where we were greeted by tables laden with a feast.

Now, I've been to a number of church potluck suppers at a number of different churches. I'm pretty sure that there are only two differences ~ regional variety in cuisine, and the configuration of the fellowship hall.

This potluck feast (that we didn't have to bring anything for) was very simliar to every potluck I've been to. Grown-ups load up their plates and sit down with friends and whoever else is at the table. Kids run around, trying to get to the desert table before they have dinner, and community is formed.

And no matter how much or how little food is on the tables, there's always plenty for everyone. I've only been to one church potluck that the offerings were somewhat sparce, and no one walked away hungry even from that one.

The potluck served to us by Shady Grove United Methodist Chruch was just like every one I've ever been to ~ plenty of food, plenty of good conversation, plenty of Holy Spirit in the room.

Let the adventure continue.