We've
been talking a lot about making others welcome. It's at the heart of
our mission as a parish and our vision for our new building.
What
about this question: do we feel welcome?
I
know what it is like to be in the midst of a group and feel a bit of
an outsider. I get involved in groups that are not really my
expertise but I'm keen to extend myself and contribute as much as I
can. Often I have the question: do I belong here? Is anybody
really interested that I'm here, or could they carry on fine without
me? Do they care?
Even
family can feel like this. Or church.
And
then there's a word or a gesture that tells me I should stop
fretting. And just get on with being who I am in the midst of these
people. Make the people and the group the focus.
It's
important to talk about this because, in relation to churches, I've
found that most people feel this way, most if not all, sometimes at
least. We all can feel outsiders and think everyone else is fine.
Community,
I am beginning to understand, is made through a skill I have never
learned or valued: the ability to pass time with people you do not
and will not know well, talking about nothing in particular, with no
end in mind, just to build trust, just to be sure of each other, just
to be neighbourly. A community is not something that you have, like a
camcorder or a breakfast nook. No, it is something you do. And you
have to do it all the time.
Wendell
Berry
There's
something here that relates to the old
saying
that what you get out of things
depends
on what you put in.
But
it's not based so much on what
we do, or what others do for us,
but on being in the midst. Doing
and active caring
are important to a group – all the valuable things we can do, that
some people are really good at, different people for different
things. But they are not at the heart of belonging: being
ourselves in relationship is; being,
and valuing being with the others around us.
Hallelujah
I/you belong! Stay
well connected.
Rangimarie
Peace Shalom, Robyn
