Manna Max Tribute Post

Dearly Beloved,

I'm reading this book on creative writing. One of the exercises in the book asks you to write a short story describing a regular routine. For this exercise, I decided to describe Manna Max, my cell group from Shanghai. I had the privilege of co-leading this group, along with the inestimable CC Lau, for three of the seven years I lived in the City Above the Sea. Maximites, consider this a shout out.
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Cell group was on Saturdays, promptly at 3:30. What that meant is that it usually started around 4:00ish. In our cell group, eating was elevated to a highly religious experience: chocolate-covered pretzels, pandan cake, green tea kit-kats from Japan-- I still associate these tastes with the presence of the Almighty. People would complain that they gained weight in our cell group, but that would never stop them from enjoying the snacks; food was our love language at Manna Max and we loved each other very well.

Worship was first on the agenda. Throughout my tenure as cell group leader, guitar players were precious comodities in the cell group ecosystem. Our group was spoiled; we had several guitar players who would lead us in worship. Other groups would joke about sending their members over to poach our guitar players, we had so many. Even when we didn't have anybody to lead worship, another member would set up a playlist on itunes. Even the non-musical could lead, and their heart was always in it.

Next was "Word." For our weekly Bible study, somebody would use DVD workbooks smuggled from overseas or we would discuss a chapter of Scripture with questions the leader would prepare. I never could handle silences well. During this time, I suspect I was "that guy" who talked too much during Bible Study. And some people would talk, but others would just listen. The listeners' silence would contribute; didn't most music need rests just as much as it needed the notes?

After the Word was dinner, whereby one person would undertake the near alchemical task of choosing a place to eat. Person A would suggest a place. Person B would remind us that person C didn't eat spicy food/was allergic to peanuts/was on a budget. Person B would then suggest another place, when Person D would remind us that this place would only fit five people/gave somebody they knew diarrhea/was too far away. Then, Person E would eventually suggest another place, and so on. Cat herding would have been easier.

When we eventually would come to a consensus, we would undertake a feast the likes of which epic heroes would envy. We would often order delivery to Yang's apartment, and it would sometimes take two delivery guys to carry all the food we ate. When the food arrived, we would chat and eat and play music late. At some point, somebody would bring out wine and cheese, we would all have a glass or two and watch movies or play Mahjong until long after the subway closed. It was a celebration, every Saturday; it was how I imagine heaven to be like.