Even if it is hard to tell by driving by the church building, we must remember that the church has never been static. It is why we talk about the church as the body of Christ with arms and legs in motion. From its very beginning in the corridors of history, the church has been gathering and going. The church is more like a verb than a noun.
When we think about gathering and going, we think about coming together and going out. In the upcoming weeks, we will come together with our friends from Cross Road Baptist Church. We are joining with Cross Road Baptist again for Vacation Bible School, and as we have done in the past, we will gather for a potluck meal with them on Wednesday, June 13 at 6:00 p.m. Whether we have a child involved in VBS or not, we look forward to getting together with our friends and sharing a meal with them. It is a time for fellowship, laughter, and catching up. It is part of the gathering of the body of Christ.
In addition to our gathering, we will also be going. Our friends at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church have invited us and others to join them for a trip to Montgomery on Saturday, June 16 in order to visit the Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice. It is an opportunity to go with others and share this meaningful and powerful experience. The coordinators at Holy Trinity are organizing the trip to Montgomery, lunch at an Episcopal church, and a chance to see these civil rights sites. We are thankful for the invitation, and we look forward to going together!
These opportunities for gathering and going are born out of our weekly rhythm of gathering for worship and going out to embrace the world. This weekly rhythm strengthens our souls and reminds us that we are the body of Christ, which is always in motion. We are not a static people; but rather, we are on a journey. We gather and we go, knowing that God goes with us and we go with God.
-Tripp