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April 03, 2007
The Heard Word
Making Community
We are often reminded that “it takes a village to raise a child” and I agree with that. I would also like us to acknowledge that we need a community to live as adults.
Some months ago, I went to a senior residence to take communion to a long-time Trinity member and she invited two friends to join us…one was a Baptist and the other a Presbyterian. She asked me if it was all right and I said it certainly was. Time went by and another Episcopalian joined the little community. Now we are five. When the owner, a Roman Catholic, is on the premises, she joins us. She asked me some months back if I would mind formally bringing the Eucharist to the others, and so it all began. I took ashes to them on Ash Wednesday, and at least for the Baptist lady, it was her first exposure to the ashes. They each have a paperback Book of Common Prayer that I brought them. The second week, it was the Baptist who reminded us what page number we needed to be on for the service. The week after Ash Wednesday, they all wanted to go back to the service in the BCP and discuss it.
We talk about how God is relevant in our lives and what he would have us do today. Sometimes, there might be a living or housing issue, and they feel they can bring it up and we will all listen to each other. Each Wednesday morning I go down and a small table is set up with a tablecloth for the altar. They are gathered in the family room and we all stay seated and the Holy Spirit joins us. It is powerful and beautiful. On Wednesday mornings, give us a thought and a prayer because we are community. And remember, it is an answered prayer. The Baptist lady told me she had been praying for several years that someone would come to spread the Good News to them. Fr. Mike is going with me soon. They are very excited.
Then I am off to visit the others on my Wednesday list. It really is a Wednesday Special list, and we become communities of two and three. They are hungry for news of the church and news about our new rector, and they want to make sure they are not forgotten. They ask if someone is sitting where they used to sit, they ask about their friends, and they keep with those who are ill. They want this newsletter. I believe it is important for them to keep up on the local, state, national and international news—but the best—it is important for us to remind them they have not left the Trinity community. In visiting them, we take the community to them.
Congratulations to Violet Lyon, our new parish nurse. Thank you to the Vestry for their approval of this exciting new program.
Fr. Fred
