May 01 2006
Meet Game Night
People, “non-people� and “family� all congregate at Ebenezer House (my home) one Friday every month for game night.
We used to meet at our church’s building but thought that the homey feel of being in the neighborhood was nicer. Plus we’re hoping this becomes as much of a neighborhood event as it is one our church enjoys.
Game night is something that we enjoy and is different each month. Many different people come and we play different games* each month. We start with a meal, thinking that this is important that eating together breeds the right kind of fellowship for the competition of games later.
This month we had the Ben-Ezras and Lansberrys as usual, and we were joined by Pastor Ben-Ezra (Seth’s dad), two adult singles and a family from our church and a new family who found out about the event from a local homeschool e-group.
Seth taught a group of people Tikal and then settled in to play Tigris and Euphrates with another group of us. The kids love Fireball Island and I know a game of Inegenious broke out in the kitchen.
We broke up late this month (we start at 6 with dinner and usually get done about 9 or 9:30) but everyone had a great time. Part of community is doing things together and game night is just one more way we’re building relationships and being with one another in a way that challenges us to pursue love and good works together.
* There are specific types of games we play. We go for something that is at least three players, as many as six or eight, and that is easily taught. (Easily taught is no the same thing as easily mastered, btw.) We look for imaginative games. Most of the games we play are not produced by Parker Brothers but by European game designers (the Germans are well known for games like Carcassonne). You can find all of the games we’ve played (and many more) at Just For Fun here in Peoria.
I for one found it very challenging to pursue love and good works when I was being crushed at Tikal by Jon. And I’m not sure we were building the kind of relationship you are talking about when he was gloating and I was threatening him with bodily damamge.
To quote that great movie, Matrix: Reloaded, “you never really know a person until you fight them.”
Competition that doesn’t breed disdain or hatred breeds friendship.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.