Community

Do you know what the most important few minutes on Sunday mornings are? Aside from Communion, the most important time is coffee hour. Why? Because this is where community is created. Friendships are at the heart of what we do as a church, not just because we enjoy the company, but because they teach us about koinonia.

The biblical word “koinonia” is a relational term. It describes the kind of community God wanted for God’s people. Koinonia involves a spiritual connection to one another. We often use ancient instructions, like the Ten Commandments, to teach us how to live together as best we can. The goal is – koinonia. 

When we sing, laugh, and play together we are not just passing the time. No, we are experiencing a profound joy for one another. Friends, gone are the days of the church where we are associated by membership. It is authentic relationships that will sustain us. Meaningfulness and real connections are the balm that the world so desperately needs.

The truth is, I welcome the decline of the institutional church. What will be left is all that mattered to begin with… a small gathering of people trying their best to love God, love one another, and love the world that God created. Everything else is window dressing.

Biblical community involves how we view and treat one another. One theme throughout scripture is compassion for the poor and disabled. In Christian communities, the poor are never to be denied the justice they are due.  Another theme of biblical community is the call to treat foreigners, who have made their home among the Israelites, as though they were like citizens. Koinonia is bigger than nationality. Koinonia is broader than any man-made distinction.

Following biblical teaching, we must gather and protect the weak and the vulnerable.  We are called to create a society that treats all people as equally deserving of honor and opportunity. The overarching vision throughout scripture describes an egalitarian world. To interpret otherwise is to stir up fear and create division. To see others as equals is the essential component of a Christ-inspired community.

When we enjoy coffee together, when we genuinely listen to one another, and when we share our authentic self, we recognize the humanity that we have in common. I pray that respect, inclusion, and care continue to be our guide. Together, we inch ever closer to koinonia.

Thanks to our Coffee Hour team!

Pastor Lucas

Photo by Milo Miloezger