Pastor's Pen - July 2008

Dear Friends in Christ,

What does it mean to be a part of a community? This question has implications not only for the community of faith but also for other communities of which we may be a part in our lives. Is one a member of a community just because one's name is on a list? Is one a member of a community if one does not participate in that community's gatherings and celebrations? Is one a part of a community just because one was a member at one time?

We live in a culture that elevates the individual and diminishes the community. Each person gets the idea that he or she can do whatever is wanted without regard for the greater community and its good. The request of the community is weighed upon what it can or cannot do for the individual as opposed to its merits for the benefit of the whole. This is not to suggest that the community has the power or privilege to run roughshod over anyone. On the other hand to belong to a community is to subscribe to its purpose and to be a part of those endeavors that would help it to reach its stated goals and purposes.

What then might it mean to be a member of a community of faith? It might be expected that a member would know the basis of the community and its teachings. It might be expected that one would participate in the community's gatherings and celebrations on a regular basis. It might be expected that such a member would be available to the community for witness, for service, and for the sharing of God given gifts and talents. It might be expected that the individual would do everything that was faithful and possible to build the community up in the world. It might be expected that the individual was a resident of the community to be able to be a part of its daily life and mission.

To be sure, none of these things are the crux of salvation. However, they are the fruit of knowing that one has been redeemed by the love of God as a free gift in the Savior, Jesus the Christ. Knowing that gift and promise leads one to desire to belong to a community of faith that worships, celebrates, and witnesses to that love and grace. In these summer days of growing as disciples, consider what it means to be a member of the community of faith for you.