Unity at the Table

Today is day 29 of a 31 day blogging challenge with my friend and colleague reverendmommy, Robin Fitzgerald.We will be using a daily word prompt from katemotaung.com. 

**Today's post is a version of something I wrote back in August.

My mother now has my grandparent's dining room table and her house.  I have had many meals around this table.

My grandparent’s house had a large round dining table where I remember eating many family dinners.  My mom has two sister, and I have 4 cousins.  We are a close family and all 17 of us travel to Holden Beach together every summer.  We are all different, yet we all love and serve God.  We are able to sit around table and laugh, tell stories, listen to heartaches, acknowledge our differences, and nourish each other with love. 

I spent time today around a table with my clergy sisters from my covenant group.  We shared stories about family and ministry and how God is working in the midst of our lives.  We celebrated that despite the challenges in our denomination that we are all committed to serving and leading the United Methodist Church today and in the future.  We recognize that some have left our denomination and that others have suggested schism as an answer to the issue that divides us.  We want to maintain UNITY.

My heart breaks when I hear stories of friends from seminary surrendering their credentials or colleagues leaving our denomination for another.  I love the United Methodist Church.  I am a product of this denomination baptized as an infant, confirmed as a 6^th grader, and ordained as a young adult.  I acknowledge that our differences on social issues are great, and yet I know we all love the same Jesus.  

A few months ago, I was struck today by the reminder that we all sit around the same table.  I want my friends and colleagues with me in service. Their gifts make our denomination better and we need them to maintain our unity.  Despite our differences that lead us towards schism or full inclusion, I pray that we can continue to sit at the same table.  The living Jesus invites us to the sit together, perhaps at opposite ends; yet together bound by the love expressed through broken bread and spilled out wine.  Around the table may we be nourished by love and freely extend love to one another.