We are almost at our six-month marker. We had a wonderful celebration this last Sunday. It was fun to be outside and enjoy a delicious brunch together. We then heard from our Treasurer and our finance committee. We started with nothing six months ago. We did not know where we would be and how we would worship. We knew only one thing: God is with us, and God has called us to GO and do God’s work. Six months later we can say we are off to a remarkable start. We have increased the number of people we minister to on a weekly basis by at least a hundred percent. Yes, a hundred percent growth in our ability to minister people is no small feat. Why is it so? Because God helped us make decisions based on not what we have but what we are called to do.
This Sunday I estimated that out of about one hour and twenty-minute-long service I only spoke for about twenty minutes or so. The rest was all active participation from each of you. I thank God that we are putting together a community of disciples that does not believe in creating hierarchies and institutional structures that exist to control and assert authority but a community that holds each other accountable – not through admonishing, but through encouraging one another. The result is a hopeful, joyful, and compassionate community.
We are also aware that we are humans, and we have the potential to fail. So, through a beautiful process of reflection and conversations we are deciding on some of our core values that may function both as guard rails and as aspirational goals for our community while recognizing the values that have brought us all together in the first place.
I am grateful to God that one key value that has brought us together is our commitment to difference. We are The Table because Jesus broke bread with all those who agreed and disagreed with him, including Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him. We are committed to finding ways to include everyone and create space for everyone; we are committed to never feeling better if someone is not included or is not a part of our community. In other words, like Jesus, we are interested in all the differences that God has created for us to be a richer community. I am humbled that every week on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday we experience that breadth of diversity amongst us – thanks be to God!
I am also grateful for the commitment we all have to our mission of realizing Christ’s commission through all the work we do. I love that our vision is the transformation of life, not just affirming what we may encounter. I love that we are not afraid of offending others when speaking the truth and working for justice. I love that we know that in the end God is Emmanuel and will complete the good work God has started in our lives.
So, six months into our journey I look at what God is doing, and I can only say words like, Alleluia, Thanks be to God! Now, let’s get back to the work of reaching out and multiplying the size of The Table given to us. If you have not yet, join the Bible Study. Join the prayer group on Wednesday or every weekday morning. Tell the youth about the ‘Get God’ program this summer. Help with our New Haven ministry. Keep the blessing box filled up. Help with the weekly meals. Bring an instrument and join the growing number of musicians – we already have two bands, and we can use more! Reach out to the businesses and invite them to work alongside us in making Shelton and its adjoining areas a place of compassion. Join the book group and the walking group and invite your neighbors and friends to them – as you are already doing. You get the picture, God is on the move in our community, so, let’s keep moving alongside God, inviting others to this beautiful journey.
