We Belong to God and to One Another

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

“And he walks with me, and he talks with me,
and he tells me I am his own.”

---

I sang this hymn, “In the Garden,” more times this past week than I have in the last few years! During the beautiful “cluster visits” that Pastor Elaine organized with residents at Dock, Peter Becker, and Brittany Pointe, this was the first song folks wanted to sing. We gathered with members – most of whom who are unable to be physically present at church – who have tender stories, rich memories, and deep commitments to St. John’s. (Pictured above)

We sang together. We prayed. We heard stories about how St. John’s has shaped lives – weddings, baptisms, raising children, Sunday School, beloved pastors, and friendships forged over many years. We broke bread and shared in Holy Communion together. We affirmed our belonging not only to God, but to one another.

As that beloved hymn reminds us, we are God’s own. We belong to Jesus.

But we also belong – through Christ – to one another. Our circle is always wider than what we think we see. There are always more people in the room than the number of bodies in the pews.

Folks are listening to the service recordings. (And soon, we hope that people who can’t join us in person will be able to watch the service in real time, not just listen after the fact!) People who may not have been able to come through the doors for years are reading the Enlightener, seeing our news on Facebook, and praying for the church.

People you may not know are watching what we do. When I move around in the community, I talk with local folks who are not churchgoers, but they are following the progress on our steps, talk with us at First Fridays, ask for blessings, notice and appreciate our banners, are grateful for our support for neighbors in need, and share their gratitude for the witness we offer of welcome and inclusion. They know about our singalongs. They heard about the fact that we raised money to feed people in Gaza. They have come to the Artist Series concerts. I meet with and pastor people who may not be members, but are grateful for the witness and care that we provide.

There is a “buzz” about who we are and what we are doing. We are bound up with others in a fabric of care.

Jesus says that we are his own. And we also belong to one another. “See what great love God has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are!” (I John 3:1) Thanks be to God for this love that connects us, holds us, and never lets us go!