Monday Morning Musing: Holy Community

One of the realities of our particular life circumstances is that we are without a faith community. Wow. Saying that makes it feel even more uncomfortable than it is. I mean, I don't feel as though I have no faith community, rather, I feel as though I have many faith communities that make up my own faith community. Julie's communion of saints, if you will. Only that's not how I understand community or faith. Anyway.

Since I am not currently serving in a call (stay tuned for more about that), Sunday mornings present a menu of worship options. We have stuck with the Lutheran/Episcopal flavors, but we've truly enjoyed every place we've visited thus far.

On this morning, though, I wasn't sure where to go worship. Bruce was feeling a tad under the weather (he's fine now) so I was on my own. I'd made up my mind one way, when I felt a strong sense that I was to go to a specific place, Agnus Dei Lutheran Church in Gig Harbor. We'd visited there once before. They are a lovely group of people and we were welcomed warmly when we were there last, but as a rule, we've been trying new places, not returning to where we'd been before.

In July I will be privileged to accompany the people of Agnus Dei as a "bridge pastor" between their current pastor, who is leaving at the end of June, and a designated interim pastor, still to be determined. I'm so looking forward to that. Still. I hadn't planned to worship there this morning, until something/one determined otherwise.

At the end of the worship service, the congregation offered Farewell and Godspeed to a member who was moving to Tucson. She was a woman in her 70's (if I had to guess) and she was clearly emotional about her leave-taking. And those gathered shared her emotion. The pastor offered a litany of the ways she'd enriched their life as a congregation in the mere two years she'd been with them. And she looked so....vulnerable and alone....when he invited her to stand before the congregation to receive a blessing. But she wasn't alone for long....others joined her, slipping up beside her and behind her. Holding her hands and putting their hands on her shoulders and making sure she was not alone in this. At the time of blessing the assembly raised their hands toward her. It was holy ground; I thought I should slip off my shoes. Suzanne has a faith community, I thought, and they want her to know she is not alone, even in this season of transition.

I told the pastor afterward that I thought the deep emotion of that Farewell and Godspeed was indicative of the spirit of that congregation. It will also help me serve them next month. I feel as though I was allowed a glimpse of their heart, which is not always what pastors get until they've been there for awhile.

I was also reminded that I do, indeed, have a faith community. Some of you read this blog faithfully. (Thank you) So I am adopting a spiritual practice of putting myself, in my mind's eye, in Suzanne's shoes, noting who slips up beside me to hold my hand. Imagining who is patting my shoulder. Picturing who is cheering me on. It's holy ground. Who makes up your faith community, dear one?