Loving across lines in the body of Christ
“Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body…” (1 Cor 10:17, NIV)
Would you like to visit my church today? At least, in your mind’s eye? Imagine this: a Sunday sanctuary filled with tables instead of rows. And a service that includes conversation questions and talking.
Sometimes the room gets so chatty that the pastors struggle to steer us toward the next element of the liturgy. And then there’s the laughter. Our laughter makes the room feel more like a family reunion than a church service.
I know, it’s not the typical worship experience. But do you want to know why you might love it? Because the room is filled with people from three—sometimes even four—different races.
…in the south-Georgia town where Ahmaud Arbery was murdered.
Yep, welcome to Brunswick, Georgia.
We are certainly not the first multi-racial church in existence, but this is new for most of us here. We opened our doors just a few months before the shooting ricocheted through our town and our country. We know it takes boldness to join us, because we talk openly about our differences. But everyone has a seat at the table here.
Everyone.
And at our tables, we serve each other communion nearly every Sunday. One of us starts with the familiar words from 1 Corinthians 11, while somebody passes out the bread and juice. If the table is overstuffed (which often translates into rowdy) somebody hops up for extra communion supplies. Then one of us prays over the group, and we roll right back into talking and laughing. As other tables wrap up, the room gradually fills with noise again.
I’m learning that it’s all communion, from the cup to the conversation. When we share our stories, we’re “breaking the bread of our lives,” as Macrina Wiederkehr says. And Dietrich Bonhoeffer promises us, “the more genuine and deeper our community becomes, the more will everything else between us recede…”
Our community happens through communion, conversation, and courage. And the deeper we connect, the more our differences settle beneath our unity.
Years ago, I didn’t think this was possible, not where I live. But, as we read every Sunday, Jesus’ body was broken so we could all have communion. So what do you think? Would you like to sit with us, listening and laughing across lines, while finding more and more ways to love across lines? Because through Jesus’ body, we are already connected and you already have a seat at the table.
Scripture for meditation
“Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body…”
-1 Cor 10:17, NIV
Prompts for reflection or journaling
If you were to visit us, who would you want to sit by? And why? What would you listen for? What would you want to share?
What opportunities do you have in your community to reach across lines towards others who may not look or live like you? Think about multicultural festivals, downtown events, jazz concerts, sports, or school activities. Brainstorm a list of experiences that excite you and look into these options, then start reaching.
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