Last April, I was all set to attend the Midland United Methodist Cursillo (MUMC) # 71, being held at Wilderness Camping & Retreat Center near Lawson, Mo. Unfortunately, on the day I was to head to Wilderness to begin the weekend, I was sidelined by a kidney stone. I don't know how long the kidney stone had been in my system. Stones can sit dormant for long periods of time before they rear their ugly—and painful—heads. So, I didn't make it to Wilderness that day or any other day of the weekend. Instead, I had to stay home and miss out on all the wonderful blessings of Cursillo. As disappointing as that might have been, I knew there would be a future Cursillo weekend that I would be able to attend.
In just a couple of days, I will finally be headed to Cursillo—this time without any kidney stones, I hope. This will be MUMC # 72, and it will be held at First United Methodist Church in Warrensburg, Mo. This Cursillo will last from Thursday, February 20, through Sunday, February 23. Because this Cursillo is being held at a church, instead of a camp like Wilderness, we will be sleeping on cots or air mattresses. Some folks might try sleeping on the floor—but that's just the young folks, I expect!
During our 3 days at Warrensburg, we will be experiencing a short course or little journey in Christianity. That's what the word Cursillo means: it's Spanish for short course or little journey. Cursillo began in Spain in the late 1940s as a movement to revitalize the church. By taking people through a short course/little journey in Christianity over a 3-day weekend in a retreat setting away from the pressures of everyday life, Cursillo was designed to build up the church by creating community and helping people live the Christian faith by spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Cursillo came to the United States in the 1960s and has since spread around the world. Although it began in the Roman Catholic Church, there are Cursillo communities in all sorts of Christian denominations. Many of the folks who participate in MUMC are United Methodists, yet it is open to all who seek to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Perhaps God is calling you to go on a Cursillo weekend. The next one (MUMC # 73) is scheduled for Thursday, July 24 through Sunday, July 27 and will be held in the McMurry Church building. I don't want to hear anyone say they can't go because it's too far away!
If you are interested in learning more about the short course/little journey in Christianity known as Cursillo, feel free to talk to me or any of the others at McMurry who have attended a Cursillo weekend (and there are several folks—just ask around). You can also check out the MUMC
website, https://sites.google.com/site/mumcweekend/home, where there is lots of helpful information, including: a list of what to bring, a schedule of the weekend so you know what to expect, answers to frequently asked questions, and more. Cursillo is a wonderful experience that has built up the faith of many Christians. Maybe I'll see you on a future weekend. As we say in Cursillo, "Christ is counting on you!
Grace & Peace
Pastor Clayton