With all the comings and goings of folks at San Marco churches this summer, I am reminded once again that the Church is both a gathered and a scattered people. And that’s a good thing. Without this balance of work and rest, being on the road and being at home, and celebrating God’s presence both here and abroad, I’m afraid the Gospel would be lop-sided. It’s good to be gathered, and it’s good to be scattered.

We gather each week to remember our great God and all that Christ means to us. We gather to sing songs about our life with God. We gather to pray to God about our lives and the world. We gather to wrestle with the Holy Scripture. We gather to be present at the Lord’s table and to remember His body and blood that was shed for our transgressions. We gather to celebrate baby dedications, baptisms, weddings, and funerals. And we gather to lift each other up as well. Supporting and encouraging one another week after week is vital to our well-being.

But we are a scattered people as well…..and often we scatter for the same reasons. We scatter to remember God and encounter Christ in new ways in different cultures, whether we’re on a mission trip or a family vacation. We scatter to sings songs about our life with God around campfires, mountain ranges, or coastlines. We scatter to pray to God about our lives and the lives of others, whether that be an aging parent or grandparents, or a bellboy or waitress at a resort or restaurant. We scatter to be present at the Lord’s table in homes, greasy diners, and wooden decks. We scatter to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, reunions, and time away from the daily grind. And finally, we scatter to support and encourage one another by making new and lasting memories for the future.

So before you look around your sanctuaries this summer and become either discouraged or judgmental by all the empty pews, remember that the Church has always been a gathered and a scattered people. There is a rhythm to the Way.

Brett Foster, D. Min.
Minister of Spiritual Formation and Mission
Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church

Tags: Brett Foster, church, Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church, minister

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 17th, 2009 at 8:50 pm and is filed under Religion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.