COBARGO CHRISTIAN MEN'S BREAKFAST
COBARGO CHRISTIAN MEN'S BREAKFAST
The smell of freshly brewed coffee, bacon and eggs cooking, yummmm. I'm sure that one of the reasons we meet is to experience the atmosphere and enjoy the food and coffee
But we have other reasons!
When Cobargo Men's Breakfast (previously called "Secret Men's Business") started in 2007, the men in attendance discussed the topic of "purpose of meeting". Here's what we came up with:
To provide an opportunity for men of all ages to meet and to feel free to discuss matters of importance.
To provide a forum where men could discuss matters of spirituality
To learn from each other by sharing aspects of our life's stories as appropriate and to the extent we feel willing to share.
To be there for men who have an interest in Jesus and his teachings, but who do not necessarily feel a connection with the institutional church
We are not an extension of a denominational church
We are not an incorporated body, we have no articles of faith, no doctrine, no "membership criteria"
We are not a business networking group - although during the course of the conversations, matters relating to creation of income may arise
We are not connected with any political party
We are not a forum for spreading malicious gossip!
Can women attend? The meeting takes place in a public venue, so women can freely come and go to the cafe. The group, though, is specifically for men. Once, at the men's meeting in Blaxland (see below), a woman attended. She was declared an "honorary bloke" for the duration of the meeting. She never came back but that was her choice.
Do I need to be a Christian? No, you just need to identify yourself as male! You should be aware that men who identify themselves as Christians will be in attendance, and Jesus is likely to pop up in conversation from time to time. If you think you will be offended by this, please don't come! Unless, of course, you enjoy being offended.
Do I need to buy anything? We do not have anything for sale in the context of CMB. No books, no tapes, no counselling fees! However, as we are meeting in a cafe and taking up table space, we encourage you to purchase something from the Valley Edge, even if its just a cuppa. Coffee is a matter of personal opinion, but I have never been disappointed with Valley Edge coffee yet!
Is there an agenda? Men attend the meetings with their own agendas. Its up to each man attending to choose what he is comfortable about discussing. We welcome people who ask questions. Sometimes men may like to raise a question for the others to think about before the next meeting. At other times, a "question without notice" may be brought before the group. Sometimes, a diverse range of issues may be discussed. At other times, someone may have a specific area of need or concern and, with the agreement of the others, the meeting may be given over to that issue. We like to be flexible, whilst being inclusive of all in attendance.
Can I pass on what was discussed at the meeting with others? We don't like to impose rules, but please understand that the success of such meetings relies on the participants respecting the confidentiality of others. If we think that information volunteered in confidence will be passed on, we may simply clam up and end up talking about the footy, the cricket or the weather. Safe topics (usually!). So, please, only come if you are prepared to respect the confidence of others in attendance! Please, also keep in mind that we are meeting in a place where others may overhear our conversations - so choose the right volume.
Can I come if I am gay or trans-gender? Yes - as long as you identify yourself as a man!
Will I be judged? We can't be responsible for the attitudes and comments of others in attendance. Some men can tend to be judgemental in their comments. Maybe we are all judgmental at times. We aim for understanding through sharing. Maybe the question should be: will you be judgmental? Why not come along and judge for yourself!
What time does the meeting end? The meeting ends for you when you decide to leave! The Valley Edge stays open until 4.30pm, however, we usually find we wrap up by around 10.
Before moving to Cobargo in early 2007, I attended an informal men's group that met every Friday morning at Blaxland McDonalds. During that time, I observed how the group had a positive impact in the lives of the men who attended. At various times, each of the men needed support and at other times the same men were in a position to offer support. All men in attendance were aware that the success of the group relied on maintaining confidences. Often the issues raised in the meetings would lead on to further conversations outside the context of the meeting. It was also a forum where men could feel they were free to raise questions relating to faith and spirituality. Those men in attendance who identified themselves as Christians could feel free to discuss their faith in Christ in the context of their day-to-day lives. They could also feel free to express doubts, disappointments and points of confusion, etc. The group was not officially an extension of any institutional church, but one local church recognised the benefit of the group and promoted it in its newsletters. It was not a requirement that men call themselves "a Christian" to attend. Attendees simply needed to be aware that Jesus and his teachings would often be woven into the conversations. When I moved to Cobargo I couldn't find a similar stlye group. So I made contact with some Christian men in the local area and "Cobargo Christian Men's Breakfast" was born.
