Church-- What It Really Looks Like

I got a glimpse of it recently.

CHURCH.

Not just because it was Pentecost Sunday. Not just because, well, hey-- I'm a pastor and work in a church building. But it was right there, where I least expected to see it, at:
                          Graduation Parties!


It's that time of year. Graduation. This year Trinity's graduating senior class is pretty big, and active. And so, the graduation invites came. I was happy to go, to see the homes of these seniors, to celebrate with them on this momentous time in their lives.


But, I didn't just see these 17 and 18 years olds, surrounded by memory books, lots of cake, tacos-in-a-bag, family, and friends... I saw... The Church. It happened, right there before my eyes.


What was it that I saw? Community. At each of the parties I attended, I expected to see family-- aunts, uncles, and grandmas-- helping host and serve. I even expected to see a couple of Trinity families who also have seniors. What I didn't expect, was how often I saw Trinity members helping their friends host these parties. I didn't expect to see them serving the bbq sandwiches, pouring the lemonade, and serving up the ice cream. I didn't expect that families who didn't have seniors (didn't even have teenagers, some of them!) would be there at these parties, but there they were alongside grandpa and Mr. Tandberg. I didn't expect to see so many underclassmen Trinity kids at these parties, but there they were playing boccee ball with the graduate's cousins. 


I saw what it looks like when the Body of Christ comes together in love to live joyfully with each other. "If one member is honored, all rejoice together with it." (1 Cor 12:26)  

It was... beautiful.  

I found myself feeling so proud to be a part of this community, to be a pastor to this community. Here were a group of people whose faith and commitment to each other were incredible signs of God's faithfulness and grace. 

It's a great day to be Church!

Storied Waters, Shared Community

Today was a beautiful All Saints Day, where we celebrated not only the blessed saints who've lived and loved and touched our lives, saints both living and deceased. But, it was all the more incredible for me because I got to welcome two new saints into the church in baptism.

BAPTISM.

I was really excited to do these baptisms-- my first as a pastor. But though there were the excitements and anxieties of the momentousness of my performing this sacrament on these two children, I was more captivated by the opportunity to be a part of the faith story of these two little ones.

STORIED WATERS

That's what baptism is-- storied waters. Where we become a part of God's story, and God becomes a part of ours. Storied waters that shape us our whole life through, forming, guiding, and supporting us. And I get to be a part of that. What an incredible blessing! But that's not just it... I get to do it in the context of a community.

SHARED COMMUNITY

Leading up to the baptisms, I met with the families in their homes. We got to know each other. They shared with me the story of their families, of the births of these little ones, of their family baptismal traditions. We shared laughs and hopes and prayers. We were able to connect. To build a relationship together, and with the Church. And then at the worship service, I was (as I always am) touched by the significance of the congregation's role in the baptism. Promising to love and support the baptized, and to welcome them into the life of the church. As I walked around the congregation with one of the newly baptized, I said to him, "Meet your new brothers and sisters!"

I am so thankful that I get to tell the great, great story of God's love. That I get to be a part of these storied baptismal waters. And that I get to do so in shared community with other believers. What a gift!

~Pr Alexis