On January 10th, Baptism of the Lord Sunday, when Jesus took the plunge, we will welcome new members into our little club of bandits. It will be a big Sunday.
Because of the big snow last week, the choir will be performing Benjamin Britten's Ceremony of Carols on the 10th. After church we will have a reception for our new members.
I often wonder what it means to "join a church." Not everyone is a joiner and many participate without uniting officially. However, saying "I do" can be an important step on one's own path. Making this step can help clarify priorities and be a way to say this is what I want my life to mean.
What I like about this little community is that we won't tell you what your life needs to mean or what you need to "believe." We are a progressive community meaning we honor the individual's search among many things. You might check out The Eight Points and our Mission Statement to see what I mean.
I personally think it is good to officially unite with and support those organizations that work for sustainability, social justice, inclusion, and freedom of thought. We are bold about our full inclusion of LGBT people and we work for equality in church and culture. We accept the risks that go with that stand.
Joining a faith community is not about regurgitating a bunch of superstitions. To me, at least, it is about uniting with others toward a common quest--to be a blessing--to take a stand for what is compassionate, just, and beautiful--to make a difference--to accept others, ourselves, and all of life with all foibles attached--and to do it with style, grace, courage, and bit of good humor. I think Jesus provided a pretty good model for that.
If you are considering uniting with us, drop me a line johnashuck [at] embarqmail [dot] com either if you have questions (I am always good for coffee) or if you would like to take the plunge!
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