That Thing You Do

Last night at TAB we started talking about the things we do as the Church and why it is that we as the Church do those things...

I brought up church membership--joining a church. Why is it that we do that? Why is it important? Is it just so there's a church out there that will do your funeral when you die? So you can get married there? So you can have a place--a "home?"

One of the things that came through our conversation last night that was pretty profound to me was the idea that we have a deep need to talk about the deep, mysterious, spiritual things as well as a deep need for community. I think that, among other things, that's what the Church is.

This brought us to a sadness that, in spite of the Church creating a kind of "unconditional support system," we often don't feel the permission to be real-to be broken among the Church. There are lots of reasons that people join churches. Lots of good ones, lots of superficial ones. May the Church continue to grow to be a place where "come as you are" is more than a dress code and "mission" is more than a business model.

What are some other things that the Church does that we should talk about? Why have you joined a church (or refused to join a church)?

50 Days of Prayer

Today I learned about a call to prayer issued from the Presiding Bishop of the ELCA. It was a call to simply pray. Specifically, a call to pray for the preparation of the church to gather together as representatives from many diverse congregations across the country as the church continues to seek God's righteous path and walk in it. I was particularly captured by a simple prayer out of the new hymnal that was shared as an option for daily meditation. I think I'll simply end this post with that. May it be our prayer always.

Gracious Father, we pray for your holy catholic church.

Fill it with all truth and peace.

Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it;

where in anything it is amiss, reform it;

where it is right, strengthen it; where it is divided, reunite it;

for the sake of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.

(Evangelical Lutheran Worship)

Discuss Community

So the whole discussion thing didn't quite work like I planned last time--I'm trying a new approach here. This Sunday night (6pm Lutheran Student Center) we are jumping in to round II of ESC (escape) and talking about community. I think it will be a great look at what it is we call community. As always, I don't think it'd hurt to give our little brains a head start so we can think about this stuff for more than 2 seconds before we feel like we have to give an answer. This also gives those of you who can't be there a chance to weigh in on the issues.

Here's what I want to know: I feel like we talk about community in the context of the Church a lot. We use language like "get connected," "have fellowship," "join," "belong," etc. There are a lot of other ways to have community. I have a couple hundred friends on Facebook. What do I need the Church for? Is that the Church?

What's the big deal about community?

Identity

The first topic that we'd like to discuss for esc is Identity. What determines who you are? What role do the people that you're in relationship with play in determining who you are? How is it that we see beauty in the unique and yet, in many areas of our lives we strive to be the same as everyone else whether it's keeping up with the Joneses or whether it's your own self-image?

esc

Hi all, I wanted to let you know that QuarterLife is partnering with two other local churches (Nazareth and Bethlehem) through the Lutheran Student Center at UNI in hopes of starting some good conversation around a variety of topics. The next four entries of our blog will be devoted to those topics. I'd be elated if you would share your thoughts about these topics as we go. If you want to be there in person, I'm sure that will be the most exciting. A gourmet dinner, presentation, conversation, dessert, etc. And the LSC is offering a simple time of worship afterwards. We will meet at the LSC at 6pm on the last Sundy of each month. (J25, F22, M29, A26). Email me (Chris@stjohncf.org) if you have questions.