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President's Ponderings - Made for Each Other

This past week, I have been privileged to have shared in significant events within the life of different faith communities.

On Sunday, September 20th, I attended the 125th anniversary of the Green Rridge congregation in Valley Pastoral Charge. The next evening I attended the installation of the new Roman Catholic Archbishop of the Archdiocese of St. Boniface in Winnipeg. Last Thursday I spent most of the day with the Annual Meeting Planning Committee in Killarney looking at the excellent facilities for next year’s Annual Meeting and spending time in that community’s beautiful church building. Finally, I joined with presbyters at a meeting of Northland Presbytery in lovely Minitonas.

It occurred to me that although very different places and occasions, what was similar in each instance was the powerful sense of community, a community bonded together by a common faith and a great love for the church of which that community is a part.

That sense of community and love of church was evident in the beaming smiles of the friendly folks of Green Ridge United Church; the warm-hearted applause that greeted the new Archbishop at St. Boniface Cathedral; the pride and enthusiasm of those who welcomed us from the Killarney Pastoral Charge; in the laughter, joy, and camaraderie expressed by those at the Northland Presbytery meeting.

As I visited among these groups of Christian communities, I recalled my own beginnings in the United Church of Canada. My first encounter with the United Church was not a good experience.

I had not been to church since my very early Sunday School days in the Anglican Church. At the tender age of twelve and for some unaccountable reason, I decided to go to church on my own. Well, not quite alone. I coerced a buddy of mine to go with me. Off we trundled to the nearest church – a United Church. We plunked ourselves down in a pew – scared, nervous but excited all at the same time.

We were met with cold, hostile stares. No one said anything to us and we felt unwelcome, unwanted. We left the church embarrassed, confused and never wanting to step into a church again. My second encounter, seventeen years later, was much different. At the constant persistence of a friend, I went to a church service – once again a United Church. There I met friendly folk (but not too in your face) and I genuinely felt welcomed. It soon became apparent that this church was a place where I was encouraged and nurtured to apply my faith to real world issues and contexts. I was so surprised to find such a welcoming community and one which applied its faith in relevant, meaningful ways in the ‘real’ world. Wow!!!! I was hooked!! I soon became an active member of that faith community and remained so for several years.

In this day and age so many are alone and isolated, and remain that way or are attracted to unhealthy and destructive communities. Others find it difficult to find purpose or meaning and struggle to make any positive sense out of life experiences and events. The church has much to offer to such persons and such persons have much to offer the church. God created human beings to be in community with one another. We were made for each other. The issue is how do we find each other and how can the church enable this to happen. Well, perhaps that is ‘pondering’ for another day.

May God bless us as we build a church that is faithful to God’s mission in the world.

Bob Gilbert