Today (Sunday November 22) we gathered what Acts 8 Bible study group together for our last session where we would start to talk about transitioning from a Bible study group into something new.
First we talked about the questions from the previous week, which was "How did God turn the hardship experiences in Acts chapter 8 into good?" and "How has God turned the hardships in your life into good?" Then we read (again) Acts Chapter 8 with the question "Using what we see in Acts 8, what sort of community/church might God call us to form?." We were to ponder this alone and in pairs and then would break into the larger group to continue the conversation. It was meant to be the culminaton of two months of study of this chapter in which we have listened for the voice of God, have talked about where God might be calling us, and have tried to figure out how God is calling us to respond. After this final look at Acts 8 we were supposed to talk about being not just a Bible study, but trying to form a deeper, more connected community together, which we are calling the Advent Community.
Just as we were about to bring the pairs back together into the larger group, Christine (who was hanging out with our little ones making Advent wreaths) came in with an idea to share, and began to talk to some of the pairings at one end of the table. Earlier that day during the worship service, Amneris, Alberto, and Kimberly were with us--and hadn't been for several months because Amneris has had an extremely difficult pregnancy and has been on strict bed rest. This family is one of our newer families, they moved to Spokane a few years ago from Puerto Rico and while they have been used to being surrounded by their extended family, here they are pretty much on their own. They found a warm welcome in our community (much like their Lutheran Church in Puerto Rico) and have been a part of our life together ever since. They had come this Sunday to ask for prayers from our community, as they are scheduled to deliver their baby on Tuesday. They shared their prayer request during the announcements at the end of worship, and we immediately surrounded them in prayer.
While the Acts 8/Advent Community met, Christine, Drew, and some other folks got to thinking that perhaps we could do something to help them out. Christine brought this idea to the table, and found that the folks she began to talk to were thinking the same thing. She shared this with the larger group, and in about 10 minutes the Advent Community (all 13 of us) organized a list of people wanting to bring food for a few weeks when they were back from the hospital, someone volunteered to provide child care for Kimberly for the days her mom would be hospitalized, and got a list of people willing to provide diapers, clothing, or whatever else this family might need to help welcome their newest arrival.
And here I am, trying to lead discussion on what God might be calling the Church to look like, how we might give birth to a new community and relationship centered way of living together as the Church, how we can "be" the Church rather than just "doing" Church. I was all ready to have us address the question "How might God call us to be in community together?" But instead of a discussion, God had something else in mind. God just called us to live it out--to be the Church right then and there. And the Advent Community, just a few minutes old itself, responded to the call of God to be Christ to one another, to reach out, and to live the Gospel. Something new was born today. And it was nothing short of a miracle. Thanks, Holy Spirit.
+Pastor Erik
