This morning, the Sunday before Labor Day, I confess: I slept in. Then, I had a cup of coffee followed by a conversation with God. After a second cup sitting in a back porch 'sanctuary', I enjoyed worship at a new (two year old) United Methodist church near Marietta, Georgia. Inspired by that experience, I decided to do some creative work and updated Stepping Stone's web site. All this happened without searching for the keys to my car!
Where am I on the way to? John Wesley would say and I echo his statement: Christian perfection. That involves being in and on the way, present and active in Christ, through the Church, within/for the world via an array of amazing choices...like worship by live streaming video! I enjoyed and learned and felt inspired by the worship experience, and that's great! I'm grateful for that opportunity! But I could only participate from a distance in the holy meal that makes us one in a community of faith. When one disciple made their way back to their seat, they touched another disciple and another disicple on the shoulder. I could only wish that I had tasted the bread with the wine, that my shoulder had been touched in Christian love.
Thankfully, we live in a time of amazing choices--and I choose to enjoy life in all its variety. This includes the presence and experiences of a gathered faith community: sometimes online, but regularly, often: in the flesh, with the Spirit.
So today, I give thanks that I'm on my way to being part of a new kind of church--church in a new old way--like the church right after Pentecost. It's a new path, an open way. And I'm loving it! I'm also loving the people called to share the journey--present and future! And I'm loving Jesus who calls us to share the way, the way of life!
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