Church Thought

I was praying and thinking yesterday while riding the lawn mower in the blistering heat.

I was meditating on the concept of church and why our Sunday afternoon group feels like church and the Friday night group feels like Bible study. It's not the style or the subject or the personality of those involved. I think it is because the people who are in the Sunday afternoon group purpose for it to be a church. The Friday night group does not have that desire/ability.

By the way, I call the Sunday group the Travelling Mug Society because there are a lot of coffee drinkers and it has a cool, alternative sound. And I call the Friday night group the TGIF Crowd because I don't know what else to call it. No one else calls these groups by those monikers, just me. But I fine with that. I am used to having the conversation in my head, for me alone. I enjoy the company. If others want to come along: bonus.

The TGIF Crowd does not have any identity just yet. But it is early. So far there is not even consistent attendance. Which, by the way, belies the fact that people do not see it as a church. I don't think I want to step in and crusade or get otherwise activist about that. This is JT's vision, not mine. I will help and contribute, but I don't want to guide.

Still, as I was circling in the sun, I prayed for what I should do about the TGIF Crowd and my involvement. I don't want to be in another Bible study. If it's not going to go deeper, then I will probably mark my days there to draw to an end sometime in the fall. But that all remains to be seen. I don't want to dictate the agenda - even for me - so I must simply ask God for guidance. And what do you suppose he said to me?

"You are wondering whether or not it is the church? Have you forgotten so much so soon? It's not about the group and whether or not everyone is in the same place as you. It's about the church. Don't go to church; be the church."

And so there is this woman in the TGIF Crowd who had her identity partially stolen by way of a hacked credit card account. She seems mostly recovered, but I think I need to reach out to her with some legal help about making sure she protects her rights as a consumer. Nothing major ... but some assurance and direction for her would probably be a good service for me to undertake.

Sorry Rick Warren, but it is about me. I need to be the church to the extent of my abilities, talents and gifts. That is serving from essence, not from my excess.

After a couple more laps around the yard I was again struck with a thought about the Travelling Mug Society. Of the 7 cores in that group, we are all artistically talented. Whether music, pictures or words ... we all have some talents in that area. Yet we don't treat our group as a refuge of inspiration and support for those talents. That needs to be addressed. That is way too much "in common" for us to ignore. So let us take advantage of the artistic people that we have joined together with in the common bond of churchly filial relation. These are my brothers and sisters. We are in this together. Not just in service, no just in sacred. But in life.

This will be a good topic to re-discuss at the next ABC Convention ... more on that group another time :)