When I arrived home after our Willowdale Church Picnic at Earl Bales Park last Sunday, I noticed two things almost immediately. First, I was sore. Second, I was sunburned. Apparently, those are the unavoidable signs of a day well spent!
As I sat down later that evening, smiling despite my aching muscles, I began replaying the day in my mind. There were children laughing across the field, youth challenging adults to every game imaginable, grandparents relaxing under the shade of the trees, and friends who hadn’t talked in weeks picking up conversations as though no time had passed at all. It struck me that what we experienced was much more than a church picnic. We experienced church. Someone once said, “The church that prays together and plays together stays together.” I believe that’s true. Some of the deepest bonds of faith aren’t formed only in the sanctuary. They grow around picnic tables, barbecue grills, cricket matches, tug-of-war ropes, and shared laughter. Fellowship isn’t an interruption to ministry—it is ministry.
Of course, none of this happens by itself. Behind every hamburger served, every game organized, every table prepared, and every smiling volunteer stood hours of quiet planning and faithful service. Our heartfelt thanks go to Sheltongift Kanagaraj, our Social Committee leader, along with the entire team of volunteers who invested so much of themselves to make the day possible. They gave countless hours so the rest of us could enjoy six unforgettable hours of food, fellowship, fun, and friendship. Willowdale is blessed because of the people who serve without seeking the spotlight.
And what a day it was! The India versus West Indies cricket match was fiercely contested. The youth challenged the adults in a tug-of-war—and let me assure you, the adults were highly motivated. Had we lost, I would have been positioned directly in front of several rather enthusiastic giants. I’m certain my pastoral ministry would have ended beneath a joyful mountain of victorious teenagers! Thankfully, disaster was averted…at least for another year. Then came the legendary watermelon-eating competition. Congratulations once again to our very own Hannah Rose Civera, who somehow managed to consume her slice at a speed that defied both logic and physics. I don’t believe she ate the watermelon—I think she simply convinced it to disappear!
But as wonderful as the games were, the moment that has stayed with me the longest happened under a simple canopy called the Sharing Tent. Throughout the afternoon, people from across the park wandered over. Some stopped for a bottle of cold water. Others accepted a Bible, Bible study guides, or a copy of The Great Controversy. Many asked for prayer. Quite a few stayed to enjoy a meal with us at the barbecue station and picnic table. And that’s when it hit me. Without announcing an evangelistic campaign… We were conducting one. No pulpit. No sermon. No microphones. Just ordinary Christians extending extraordinary kindness.
People experienced something that day that our world desperately needs: a community where strangers become friends, where generosity comes without strings attached, where prayer is freely offered, and where the love of Christ is as real as the food on the plate. Perhaps that’s what Jesus had in mind when He said, “By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” The picnic reminded me that the Church is at its very best when the walls disappear. Sometimes the strongest witness isn’t found inside a sanctuary but beneath the shade of a park tree, around a picnic table, or beside a barbecue where Christ’s love is served one conversation at a time.
If you couldn’t join us this year, don’t worry. Another opportunity is just around the corner! This September we’ll gather once again for our Family Life Church Family & Friends Corn Boil on the CAA field beside our church. Bring your family. Invite a neighbour. Come ready to laugh, eat, serve, and perhaps even make a new friend. In the meantime, let’s also remember Canada’s farmers in our prayers. They faithfully provide the food that brings families and communities together, and they continue to depend upon God’s timely blessings of sunshine and rain.
Until then, may we continue to be the kind of church that worships together, serves together, laughs together, and welcomes others into God’s family. After all, that’s more than a picnic. That’s the Kingdom of God, showing up in a park.
Maranatha!
Glenn DeSilva