Bishop Goodpaster often tells clergy, “I appointment you to
a community that happens to have a United Methodist Church in it.” The challenge is for churches to find ways to
engage their community in creative and impactful ministry. Community engagement is something I am
passionate about and gets me really excited.
I remember all the days I shared lunch with Rashawn at Graham Elementary
School or offered the invocation before the Rutherford College Town Hall
meeting or visited with folks who came to get a gift of clothes or toys for
their child’s Christmas or listening to a pantry patron share their life story
or telling Bible stories and games to children whose primary language is
Spanish.
Tonight I was able to share worship with my friend
Carter. She is leading her church in
community engagement by offering worship and a meal at a local coffee shop/bar/restaurant/consignment
store. Mattie and I sat at table with two
women from the community: one who feared
she may losing her job tomorrow and the other who attends another church. The table behind us was filled with
participants from the Boys and Girls Club who perhaps would not have eaten to
night unless they came to worship. It was
a very eclectic environment: surrounded
by bottles of wine and jewelry for sell, a bar in the corner, guitars hanging
in the stage area, and signs that advertised beer on one wall and God’s grace
on another. Angel, the owner of the establishment,
walked around serving dessert and drink refills making sure everyone felt right
at home. And in the midst of it all we
heard a message of God’s love that seeks and searches for humanity.
God’s love seeks beyond the walls of the sanctuary and far
and wide into the community and world we live in. We are invited to take part in extending that
love to those around us.
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