Can you think of a time when you felt the joy of being in community?
For one thing, being in community offers healing.
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 5:15
One definition of community is found in Acts 2:42.-47.
All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper[a]), and to prayer.
43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity[b]—47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
This description of the ultimate community is a challenging one for many of us – especially those who have much. We ask ourselves “would we be prepared to sell possessions in order to support our community?”
We might if we fully appreciated the benefits that exist for those of us who are connected into a caring, supportive community. Academics conducted a study to determine what makes human life flourish. They found that: “It is not how much money you have; it is not your health, security, attractiveness, IQ or career success. What distinguishes consistently happier people from less happy people is the presence of rich, deep, joy-producing, life-changing, meaningful relationships.” Source: The Me I Want to Be by John Ortberg
So how are we doing in the meaningful relationship department? Here’s a quick survey to give ourselves an idea:
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Connectedness Inventory (source: The Me I Want to Be
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Yes
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No
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· When something goes wrong I have at least one person I can talk to about it?
· Do I have a friend I can drop in on anytime without calling ahead?
· Is there someone who could accurately describe my greatest fears or temptations?
· Do I have one or more friends whom I meet with regularly?
· Do I have a friend I know well enough to trust their confidentiality?
· If I received good news like a promotion do I have a friend I would call immediately just to let them know?
If I can’t answer ‘yes’ to most of these questions, then I may want to look into joining a small group or perhaps invite someone out for coffee as a first step toward connecting.
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Connectedness is not the same as having many friends; it is having a close relationship with at least one or two friends – despite the fact that it may seem risky to have a friend that we can trust enough to reveal our fears. Those of us who have braved being transparent with a close friend, know the freedom that comes not only from confessing our sins but also from confessing our fears.
How do we become good friends with others? Well – whereas the rule in real estate is: location – location – location. The rule in being a good friend is: observation – observation – observation. We can be a life-giving force in other people’s lives when we notice them – their preferences, their hobbies, their skills. Think of people who give life to you because they notice you.
Mother Teresa said: “If you can’t do great things, do little things with great love; if you can’t do little things with great love, do them for other people anyway.”
Here are some gifts we can give others:
· The gift of delighting – who is it in our life who notices the small things? Some of the things in our church community that are an expression of community are: meals ministry, pastoral care team who visit shut-ins, helping out in the nursery, etc.
· The gift of commitment – the Special Olympics is a wonderful example of commitment by not only the athletes, but their families and supporters who keep cheering until the last competitor crosses the finish line. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25 Who is your encourager is life? Who do you encourage?
· The gift of love – “I have never known anyone who failed at love yet succeeded at life; I have never known anyone who failed at life yet succeeded at love.” Author unknown. Sometimes it is easier to focus on the negative than it is to focus on the good. Who is it in your life who loves us unconditionally? Who is it that we love unconditionally? Jesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:35 And Paul, in his letter to the Romans said, “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other. Romans 12:9-10
· The gift of joy – Who is it that brings joy to your life? Who do you give joy to? This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength! Nehemiah 8:10
Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love,
so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives. Psalms 90:14
A cheerful look brings joy to the heart;
good news makes for good health. Proverbs 15:30
A twenty year study of more than 4,700 people found that joy is contagious. Source: The Me I Want to Be, by John Ortberg.
· The gift of belonging – There is phrase from a song that has resonated over the years. “No man is an island.” There are lots of opportunities in our congregation to belong... Wings Nights for men, Ruth Bauman-Wight series for women, euchre club, etc. Belonging is a two-way street. In healthy communities, there are opportunities for people to belong. On the other hand, individuals need to reach out of they are alone and take advantage of those opportunities.
We’re meant to enrich each others’ lives.