So I'm not re-committing just yet. Although I did do some writing last week and realized just how much I enjoy it, and how great of a means of expression it is for me. I think I learn a lot about what I'm actually thinking when I write, so I just may have to get back on this bandwagon.
For now, however, a short thought about community.
In my writing last week, I commented on how blessed I was to be part of a pastor's family.
Strange thought, I know. Often there are a lot of negative images and phrases that come to mind when someone talks about being a pastor's kid or pastor's wife.
I realized how much of a blessing it is to walk into a church and be known by others.
People know who you are, say hello, ask about your week, and take the time and interest to know about you because they know who you are.
As a result of this, I've had the blessing of quickly getting to know others in the church. Because of conversations they often initiated with me, I got to know who they were.
We've been in a different community for 9 weeks now.
Granted, we haven't been to the same church more than once.
There are over 120 CRCs within about an hour radius of where we're living.
Ridiculous, really, but another topic all together.
What I've come to realize once again is the importance of community.
We've found community in different ways here - soup night, fellow classmates, Bible study, sports teams, and neighbours.
However, there is a community which we are familiar with and appreciate on Sundays.
A group of people who know our names; whom we feel free to worship with; whose style of worship is familiar. People who ask about our week and care to hear the answer. People who know us, and who we sometimes don't have to say a lot to in order to know that we belong.
In the churches we've visited, we have yet to find one that is similar to the one we worship in at home.
We have yet to find one where we've quickly said, "Let's go there again next week!"
We show up, shake hands with strangers, share Lord's Supper with strangers even, but I have felt a distinct emptiness upon coming home.
It's not home.
And we miss it.
Not to say we're not enjoying our time away. We are. It's good. So good.
But it's not home.
It's a healthy longing.
One that was created deep within us.
A desire for home.
6 weeks to go. That's crazy.
But when it comes, it will be good to be back in Winnipeg.
There's another deep longing for home.
It's different.
And hopefully much farther off.
Because I'm enjoying my time here.
God is good.
3 comments:
Sara: I can hear you on that. Jill (who didn't expect to be a "Pastor's Wife" has commented that in some ways, the move to our current location was easier because she already had a place in the community--people knew who she was, knew she was new etc. In contrast, Sundays were terribly lonely for us in GR. We moved there right after Dordt and expected to feel at "home" in church. Only that didn't quite happen (right away at least. It sounds like you've already been to more churches than we made it to. At about church #5, we had a group of people line up to welcome us and we decided to hang around for the next few years)
Thanks, Joel - We are only here for 1 semester, so I think that's made it tough to commit to one church as well. We are taking advantage of the opportunity to see all different styles and experience how different groups "do" church. It's different, though, and I definitely miss the community. Great to hear from you!
I know what you mean about missing your home church. It is crazy how under appreciated it is while you are there and how much you miss it when you are away. Hope GR is treating you well. Miss you!
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