Community matters

No picture today, at least not on this page (I think I have to enter one to post, but we’ll see.)

This morning I read a long post on Facebook about a community where people were leaving because one denomination was concerned with keeping people safe during Covid, and requiring masking and distancing, where other local congregations were worshipping in person with no limitations.  People were leaving and the pastor, who has worked herself silly during this pandemic, is both exhausted and distraught.  What happened, she asked, to community? What indeed?

I also received, today, an email from an old friend, a pastor who had been my pastor for around 20 years, between my joining the UCC and my ordination.  He was my mentor, my friend, my spiritual inspiration.   I sent him a postcard from Rome and, despite the fact that the friendship has not been very active, he emailed to me.  

I thought I was coming on Sabbatical to learn more about the context of the church, the context of the Reformers, the context of the Gospels.   Instead I have learned more about community: the community around Martin Luther most recently, but the community of Reformed reformers, including Knox, the community of the early church in Rome and outside Rome in the Catacombs, of which the family of St. Cecelia is central. The communities that I’ve been part of, if briefly: the community of the Scottish church down the street from the apartment I quarantined in, who welcomed me in their online service, the communities at Iona, at Brot und Rosen, the sisters in the tiny Corpus Christe chapel in Wittenberg, the community that prays around a Coventry Cross here in Erfurt.  The Roman Catholic community of monks praying evening prayer in the Basilica of St. Francis and the community of pilgrims gathering for prayer at the same time.  The working, everyday communities, the just on Sunday communities, and the once in a lifetime communities. 

Community matters.   Even if you don’t completely understand what is going on, because it is in a different language.  Even if you don’t agree completely with what is being said.   Even if you are barred from the Communion table (the ultimate expression of the joining of community) because you don’t believe the “right” way. 

Martin Luther did not post his 95 Theses because he wanted to start a new church.  He did so to help the community he was part of examine itself and be truer to the walk with Jesus.   In 2011 Pope Benedict came to visit the Augustinerkloster here in Erfurt.  Last Wednesday instead of an English language service, there was a commemoration of that visit 10 years ago.  It was a step back toward community.  

It would do us all good to have a little more balance between what we personally want and the welfare of the communities we are part of. A little less “I” and a little more “we” woul be a great thing for the life of the church.