MenuHow Does “Community in Christ” Look Different?
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now.” – Philippians 1:3-5
It has been a little over a year since I was ordained and installed as pastor at Holy Cross, and friends and acquaintances still ask me what “my” congregation is like. Now, we know that Holy Cross belongs to the Lord; it is not “mine” or “yours” in a possessive sense. But Holy Cross is where the Lord has placed us together for His purpose for a time. Rather than Holy Cross belonging to us, we belong to the body of Christ at Holy Cross in Clarence. It is in that sense of us belonging to this community of believers that Holy Cross is “mine” and “yours.”
And when someone asks me to describe Holy Cross, the 3 short verses above from Paul’s letter to his beloved congregation in Philippi resound in my mind. I thank God for you all, making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the Gospel from my ordination and installation until now.
There is true “community” only in Jesus Christ. The body of Christ, the universal (or “catholic”) Church, is an amazing community that, by God’s grace and power, spans across time, from Adam and Eve to the last person born before Judgment Day. The body of Christ spans across space to include the whole earth, plus astronauts who may be in orbit, plus the faithful whose souls are with Christ in heaven. And by God’s grace and power, the body of Christ spans all races, tribes and peoples.
Right now, in 2016, we at Holy Cross are a community of believers in Jesus Christ who gather around His Word and Sacraments here in Clarence, New York. We gather to receive grace from our Lord, and to practice grace. There is joy in the community created by Christ alone, in what He has done for us in His death, His resurrection and His ascension.
And there is joy in what He gives this community to do in His name, for in Christ alone we are made “partners” in the Gospel. We are called as partners to advance the Good News of Jesus Christ in a world which desperately needs it. (Phil. 1:12) There is no more powerful witness than the Church being the Church. (Phil. 2:12-18) We get to be part of God’s plan!
As you think about how you might describe Holy Cross to a friend or neighbor, remember that this community – our community in Jesus Christ – is the place to receive His grace in the Word and Sacraments and the place to practice grace in hospitality and forgiveness.
~Pastor Nickel
