I have been at the church often in the last month for meetings and completing various tasks. Whenever I am there, I come across someone doing a task to maintain or move the church forward. Some tasks are big and some are small. I also realize many others are completing tasks from their home or by visiting members or making phone calls or writing emails. The strings of our “Christ’s web” reach out to many places. To witness this is humbling and powerful.
I have found Bonhoeffer’s book, Life Together to be a reality check for myself, particularly chapter one on “Community”. I appreciate when I am given “an uplifting experience of genuine Christian community” (page 39). However, as Bonhoeffer points out we do not live in Christian community for these experiences. We live and work together by our faith that we have been given, not what we humanly experience. My reality check is to ask myself, “Who am I doing this for?” I can easily get caught up with the humanness of my role...the list of things to do and people to talk to. This reality check may not change the list BUT it does change my perspective, because I am now inviting Christ to be present in all of this.
Nineteen women participated in the Women’s Retreat this past weekend. Yes, it was an uplifting experience…… there was laughter, collegiality, the breaking of bread together, and the beauty of nature surrounded us. There were also stories shared. Stories of women walking in faith. As a wise woman once shared with me, life is like a coin. On one side, the coin tells the stories of all of our joys and on the other side, the coin tells the stories of all of our losses and sorrows. Faith allows us to hold this coin in our precious palms. Life together in Christian community strengthens us to hold each other’s palms through Christ’s presence.