Wednesday, April 11
Life Together...
I have written before about my Tuesday morning book club that I enjoy so much. (Church at Panera we affectionately call it.)We just began the book ‘Life Together’ by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, subtitled ”The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community”. Bonhoeffer scares me. My brain hurts just thinking about reading his stuff. But, I like that phrase…’the classic exploration of faith in community’.
My teaching this week at Crossings is looking at the value of authenticity in terms of community. The questions are many when it comes to this subject.
Below is an e-mail I received from a friend last week…she has some great questions. Do any of you have any thoughts on the subject?
“OK - so I went to Passover (at my friend the rabbi's house) last night.
And every time I am with them on this occasion or Shabbat I am overcome with the same feeling...they seem to get it - the community thing that I, and so many others, are desperately looking for. The evening started at 7pm and dinner wasn't served until 10:00....things finally started dying down around 12:00 but we were invited to stay on for singing. No one was looking around for the food or dying to get this thing over. What makes this easier for some people groups than others? My question for you is this something that we can actually create. And if so, what should one be doing to move toward that? Again, can you create it or is it something you are in the middle of one day and look up and go - "oh - wow! This is community."?”
Mark Nelson at 4:26 PM 6comments
6 Comments
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at 8:58 PM
The Anonymous Human said... well, I think the first thing is to realize that they've been trying to do community for something like 6,000 years now. You might say they have a slight jump on us. But when you think about the fact that they got their beautful traditions and rituals (mostly) from the architect of the universe, once again, I think that goes to their advantage. Maybe, since we are the ingrafted branch and all, we ought to give some of their traditions a try. Maybe have a passover meal with your small group. I may not have jewish blood running in my veins, but I'm certainly a child of the same God that delivered his people from Egypt!
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at 10:00 PM
said... I don't think this person's email was about some competition to see who can create better community. AH from your last comment it sounds like we are in a race to see who can "get it" faster when it comes to community.
I think that in some sense community is a choice. When we choose to be real with people community is the result of this chosen authenticity. In truth, God is not all we need or he would have never created more than one of us. Instead he said that it is not good for man to be alone and i don't think that was only because he needed someone to procreate with, but rather so that we would have each other. We need each other.-
at 7:46 AM
said...
For the emailer:
Yes, it can be created.
Move toward it with vulnerability...authenticity, a willingness to share life, and an attitude that speaks God into the room...as if he's really there (which we know he is).
Yes, you can also wake up and realize that you might be in it one day. That may be the sweetest way of all. But, again, if you're not approaching people with the right spirit, then you'll never look up and be in the middle of it.
When you're doing the right things, the right things happen for you...us.
I've been a part of several "communities" in my life and I believe I'm in one right now where we "get it." My advice is hang out with the people you know who "get it" more often. My guess is they are easier to find than we like to think.
Wow. I love this topic! Thanks for the post. Even blogs can be a community...sort of.-
at 2:37 PM
The Anonymous Human said...
anonymous,
Sorry if that's the way I came across. Obviously, it's not a race. I simply meant we shouldn't be too disheartened if the jewish nation seems to have a better grip on community than someone of the christian faith. I only used the jewish faith because of the email and the examples given. I'm sorry if I made it sound that way.
The point I was trying to get across is that I personally love all their traditions and the more I find myself and my small community diving into those, the more we become a people experiencing and doing life together and not just people who happen to go to the same church. Does that make sense? That maybe these ancient and wonderful traditions might have something to give to us in this modern or post-modern or emerging or whatever-the-heck-we-are-now society.
I was simply trying a suggestion of one of the many ways in which we can engage community. That's all. I've learned since sixth grade that I need to stay out of races.
I'm really, really slow.-
at 8:02 AM
said...
i wish AH wasn't so obviously obsessed with racing.
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at 6:23 PM
The Anonymous Human said...
Anonymous,
you.
me.
tire swing.
after school.
no funny business.