What is Church?

That's what I've been thinking about for the last couple of days. Not in any particularly profound or deep way - just a simple question triggered by a comment someone made to me recently.

We went to a fundraiser dinner/dance on Sat. night. Very fun evening. We saw many people we knew - including a few couples who attend our Church and some other believers who don't. When we first arrived, a Christian friend said to us (okay, I have a terrible memory so I am only giving the gist of what he said) that this was 'Church'. Church? At the Legion? With us all standing around with glasses of wine? We chuckled a little - not really taking it to seriously. For me, that came later....

I got thinking about that idea...was it possible that an evening like that was 'Church'? Now, of course I'm not talking proper 'sing, hear a sermon, sing, go home' church. But here's kinda what got me thinking. There were many Christ followers there. They were befriending people. Hanging out, spending time with, becoming friends with, people who don't know Jesus yet. Some may have had opportunity to talk about spiritual things - but maybe not - maybe it was just a neutral place to invest in friendship. We shared a meal, we laughed, talked and as I talk, it is from my perspective of a person who loves Jesus. I can't help it. It is who I am. So Jesus was there. It also was a fundraiser. The money all went to help the poor in our community. Love our neighbour.

Hmmm.

Maybe it was Church. Maybe Christians reaching out in friendship to others, building community, feeding and caring for the poor. Maybe as they take Jesus outside of the building of the Church to the people who need Him - maybe THAT is Church.

Or at least a part of it. Understand, I LOVE Sunday a.m. Church service. I love gathering with other believers, worshipping, learning, sharing in communion. But it is just that - a PART of it.

What a great thought.

It's been a week of being assaulted by cliches. Good ones, mind you. Sometimes those simple, short sayings have a way of worming their way deep into the recesses of a brain and making you ponder them - over and over and over.....

I was introduced to the author Parker J. Palmer recently. Never heard of him - but wow. I'm reading his book called "Let your life speak". It is in reading the first couple of chapters that I've been hit with a few thoughts to obsess on. Try these on for size:

"Ask whether what I have done is my life" (from a poem by William Stafford)

"Let your life speak" (An old Quaker saying)

"Before you tell your life what you intend to do with it, listen for what it intends to do with you."

"Who am I? leading to the question "Whose am I?

I'm not in the market for a vocation exactly. But as I consider the idea of being created by God for a specific purpose, with all the special gifts needed to accomplish it, it makes me wonder if what I have done is MY life.

aaagh, here we go again. Pat Robertson never fails to come up with something that gets my underwear in a knot. I quote:

"I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: if there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God, you just rejected Him from your city," Robertson said on his daily television show broadcast from Virginia, "The 700 Club."

"And don't wonder why He hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that's the case, don't ask for His help because he might not be there," he said.

WHAT? Did he just say "don't turn to God"? Did he just say "don't ask for His help because He might not be there"?? Oh Pat. In the last week I've twice come across the passage of scripture where the Israelites get tired of waiting for Moses so they make this golden calf and start to worship it. The Lord burns with anger toward them but Moses is able to stand between them and God and the Lord decides not to toast the Israelites. He(the Lord) stays with His people. Over and over in scripture we see examples of a sinful, guilty people calling to the Lord - and He answers. Seek the Lord, the scriptures say, and you will find Him. The Lord is always willing to be found by people - I can't say I know why - we certainly don't deserve it - but nonetheless - He is a faithful and trustworthy God and I can't see Him ignoring us when we call to Him.

Mr. Robertson makes it sound like God is playing Survivor - but in this game, we have the power to vote Him off the island. I sadly shake my head and have to disagree. Where would I be if God left me because I sinned? I am thankful I can say with assuredness "He will NEVER leave me or forsake me.

It is never the brothers right next to us, but the brothers in the abstract that are easy to love.
~Dorothy Day