Community. This has been on my mind a lot this week for several reasons.
One is that there will be something different at the Super Bowl this year. 'He Gets Us' ads are set to air. This is part of an outreach from some of our Christian sisters and brothers who are trying to connect with those who believe, who are skeptical, and those who don't know much about Jesus. This is our community at work in another country that will be seen by millions or billions around the world.
And then there is the announcement that we are signing a full communion agreement with the Moravian Church. They are concentrated here in Alberta, Ontario and Labrador in Canada. They have a much bigger presence in the US. They are the oldest Protestant denomination, beginning with objections of Jan Hus and his burning at the stake. Many of them in Alberta come from the same part of Russia as the Lutherans. They were all farmers and subsequently had to flee persecution.
Both of these events show how our Christian faith is moving these days. Much has changed over the last three years and there may be more changes to come. Jesus wanted the same for both his Jewish and Gentile followers - he wanted change.
We see this in Matthew 5-7. He underlines a different set of ways to live, work, pray and be together as his people. One of the best known examples of this is his teaching in Matthew 5:38-42. We go the extra distance to help. We offer sacrificially and include all people who come questioning and looking for teaching. Now, we don't always follow his directions fully or completely, but in doing this we are joined by others who are doing the same.
There are billions of us Christians around the world. And we belong to communities great and small. Our families and our church communities have been some of the smallest in recent years. On the other hand, we span the globe. And we all occupy various levels in the community. So, the question is, "Where do I fit in?' Perhaps it is time you took a look again at your community of faith.
We are here to help and encourage; as we work for the kingdom. Pr. Scott
