Community. The ambiguity of this word has eluded me for most of my adult life. Particularly in Christian circles this word has proven to be the dividing line that keeps some people on the “inside” while others feel a constant sense of loneliness. While talking to a new acquaintance via zoom I spoke of this ambiguity and the pain that it can cause as precious souls stumble in their need for connection.
“This ain’t community.” Much of my adult life has been spent in and around church settings. I have had the privilege and the horror of being around other Christians in pursuit of following Jesus and His commandments. (I should disclose that many of these contexts have been led by and centered whtie women and men.) During this time I have found that most of the ideas of fellowship and community have centered around the Sunday morning experience. Sunday morning services have been set forth as integral to improving in relationship with the Lord and with other believers.
There are a variety of problems with this approach but most importantly 2020 has broken any illusions for us of the Sunday morning service being the cornerstone or bedrock of Christian community…or at least it should. A worldwide pandemic has robbed us of the ability to gather in person. No longer can we rush to church, sing some songs, listen to a message, go to Sunday school, engage in small talk…or…If we are honest with ourselves was the Sunday morning experience the place where we felt seen and known anyway? Did we feel accountable to sisters and brothers by attending service together? Did we feel that our lives were made richer in meaningful ways by going to services together? Maybe. Is it also possible that this has been the way that we have always seemingly done it? Is this the culmination of community?
I don’t know what the future holds but I do know that rushing back to Christian services as “community” in the same way that we did pre-pandemic seems a bit depressing. I have to believe that there is a deeper level of communion possible for the human soul. I choose to believe that there is a way to build fellowship beyond the Sunday morning experience. Of course many will still choose to go to services. My point isn’t to dissuade people from going. I do know that we need to raise the bar for community. We need bonds of love that are stronger than a service time. Small talk will not get us through a pandemic. Awkward trite sayings won’t help us when we are on the verge of mental burnout or eviction from our homes. There is a better way.
