Devoted Community

42 The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers. 43 A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. 44 All the believers were united and shared everything. 45 They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them. 46 Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity. 47 They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved.

(Acts 2:42-47)

Devoted Community

Good Day Family,

Devotion can be defined as loyalty, commitment, or enthusiasm toward a cause, an activity, or a person. Devotion in that sense at its best demonstrates love and fidelity. Often, we consider devotion to be an emotional response to that cause, activity, or person. At the same time, what do we call daily Bible reading and reflections…devotions. As Minister for Worship and Theology, I am responsible for, among other things, devotional moments to start the business meetings during General Synod. So devotion can be a consistent sustained activity itself or a particular exercise engaged in at particular points in time but rooted in faithful practice.

The text above presents an ideal perspective on community. Imagine if it was always like that and as easy to achieve and maintain as the text suggests. Real life, and I am sure the witness of that early community, witnesses to the hard work behind the ideal. Community like that requires compromise and sacrifice, forgiveness and grace, empathy and consistent communication. It does not just happen; it is the result of devoted people making the choice to be community together day in and day out.

As we consider the long history of our faith community, we know we stand upon the shoulders that stood upon the shoulders of generations of devoted members of this part of the Body of Christ. Because of them, we are, and because of us, those yet to come will be. That’s devotion at work in faith and hope for God’s beloved community.

In Devotion,

Be well,

Pastor Cheryl

Let us encourage one another. Let us love our neighbor. Let us be the church.