Togetherness
One of the aspects of my particular role at St. Paul is that I get to spend intentional time with our church Core Values. I always have an eye to the ways we are living them out as well as the ways we need to refocus our ministry to better reflect them.
This past Sunday during the 9 a.m. worship service, I had one of those moments when the Core Values hit me with particular clarity. Well, two of them, actually. Here we were, singing a hymn set to one of my very favorite tunes, a hymn about God’s call for the church to work for justice in the world, and I let my eyes wander into the congregation as the organ and singing filled the room. As we sang this hymn, I noticed a few things.
I saw a couple not singing much, but standing with everyone else. This couple was having a particularly tough chapter. Health challenges were constant for them, and it was kind of surprising they were there. A few pews back was another household that had just told me about the amazing week they had and they were so excited to be at church to thank God for the week’s many blessings.
As I continued scanning the room, I kept seeing all of these amazing people who brought something unique to our gathering. Some in grief, some with exuberant joy, some from a bit of obligation. In the midst of us living out our Passionate Worship value, another was becoming even more evident. Radical Hospitality.
As I scanned the congregation, I saw a beautiful diversity of people. Different ages and abilities, different worldviews and philosophies, different histories with organized religion along with some religious skeptics. It was a beautiful tapestry of people that would never all find their way into the same room for any other reason. But all were here. Together. Singing, praying, laughing.
There is so much in our lives that keeps us from each other. Or rather, things that we allow to keep ourselves from each other. Dividing lines have become more like chasms, separating us one child of God from another.
But by the grace of God, we all come together in this place, bringing all of our differences and diversities together. And as we are together in this place, we also realize that this is the place we all need to be. It is in our worship that we are reminded that we are in control of so little in our lives, and that is ok. It is the grace of God that sustains us in our diversity and in some strange way, unites us to common service and love of neighbor.
It really was beautiful to see, and I hope next time you are in worship you notice it too. A church at worship is what the world could look like, should look like: people from all walks of life setting aside what separates us and focusing on the unending grace of God that permeates our world and lives.
As a collective humanity, we need each other. Our worship this weekend is going to be equally as amazing. I’ll see you there so we can sing together.
