We behave as a body when we come together for worship on Sunday mornings. We behave as a body when we pool our time and our resources in an offering for the continuance of the ministries of the church, ministries ranging from Bible studies to blood drives to hunger ministries. We behave as a body when we pray for each other or check on each other, saying, “I haven’t seen you in a while—how are you doing?” There is a wide range of behavior that acknowledges the importance of our call to be a body, a community, together.

“Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God, and what came was the church”—the Kingdom of God has already begun. Yes, we trust that one day we will have a more complete vision, a fully redeemed world, but the Kingdom—or, as some people prefer, the Kin-dom—is already here, among us, and we participate together. And I am so very glad to be in this community with you.

Grace and peace,

Becky

Prayer:

Loving God, you call to us—not only each of us individually, beloved and distinct, but as a whole body. Your desire is that we serve you, that we care for each other, and that we care for the world. May the community we form be formed by you. May we represent you well in the world. And may we remember that our call is not to try to fit you neatly into our culture and its assumptions, but rather to live according to your call wherever we find ourselves, never forgetting the ties and the gift of Christian community. In Jesus’ name. Amen.