Loading...Community – By definition, a group of people with common agenda; an affinity group
neighbors, sports team, family or faith community!
Our experience of community may vary widely, all of which gives us perspective and meaning.
Last Thursday, twelve of us from St. David’s were at the Assembly of the Spokane Alliance,
a community organizing organization of which St. David's is a member.
The Alliance works on a variety of issues and solutions as a member organization; the membership sets the priorities and goals which are rooted in common values.
This particular evening, the assembly was focused on presented a viable plan regarding jobs with whole family health insurance and retirement benefits for those who are working on contracts within the city for the city, school district, or facility district.
We St. David’s folks were totally the new kids on the block,
but it was exciting to be there,
mostly to hear the stories of some of the people of Spokane –
how valuable it is in improving the quality of life
to have health insurance and retirement benefits.
I felt like bouncing up and down in my seat, it was so great!
There were 217 people present that evening.
We were in a church – Westminster UCC – and it FELT like church:
compassion, connection, and joy.
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Being part of a community,
something bigger than yourself,
is so important and valuable.
Part of that, absolutely, is because of the mutual support and care.
A community also pushes you
beyond your comfort zone,
with challenges,
and to take risks.
And this is good. We need this!
Finally, community nourishes and nurtures us.
That’s why it is SO painful when there’s a rift, brokenness, betrayal.
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Today’s Gospel is a snippet of Jesus’ prayer offered the night before he is betrayed and crucified. We are eavesdropping on Jesus’ conversation with God when he prays for himself and the task ahead of him, and
when he prays for his disciples gathered around the table.
In this portion of the prayer, he is praying for you and I and all the other people of faith who are around because someone shared faith and built community.
In this part of the prayer, as it tumbles over itself – and we get lost in the words and phrases! – Jesus prayers for unity: that we may be one as he and his father are one. As some are quick to point out, Jesus prays for unity, not uniformity. Being one doesn’t me that we have to be the same.
In his prayer, Jesus is recognizing, in these dryer-tumbling words and phrases, that we need each other, and that he wants for us to know this, trust it, and to connect with one another.
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I have also been thinking about the story from Acts
which is so rich and full.
In Bible study this past week, we spent quite a bit of time taking this story apart to really understand it and all the intricacies of it.
We don’t have that kind of time here,
but consider the ways in which the people in the story
are cut off from community,
and how they are brought back:
the slave girl
Paul and Silas
the other prisoners in the jail
the jailer.
How are they one,
as Jesus and God (and the Spirit) are one?
How are we connected with each other here,
especially when one of us is experiencing hurt, illness, or isolation?
For example, sharing food, offering to give a ride or visit....
How are we connected to our neighborhood,
and getting to know the people of our neighborhood?
For example, prayer walks and invitations
How are connected to and helping to re-connect those who have been
hurt or cut off from church and/or their family?
For example, showing up at PRIDE this Saturday for the parade and to give out “free hugs”.
Paul and Silas sang hymns and then told about Jesus.
Jesus prayed for people across time and space.
How do you, how do we, knit our community together in unity, joy, and hope?
Amen
