the call to community

God’s action in and towards the world will always call us beyond ourselves

The story of the Christian church is one of intimate belonging. At Pentecost, the Spirit descends upon a gathering of disparate people and God speaks to each person in their own tongue—beckoning them to join together in unity as followers of Jesus. Those who would otherwise have little reason to commune are suddenly in conversation and relationship as they try to make sense of what had just happened. In this forming of new community, those present at Pentecost come together to not only see and hear one another, but also touch, taste, and smell.

The community that God calls us to demands the fullness of our being. This is because lived relationships with our neighbors are fundamental to what it means to be human. God models this for creation in God’s eternal triunity. The Father, Son, and Spirit exist in this intimate joining as God in three persons perfectly gives and receives love. Humanity, made in the image of God, is called to participate in this work. God’s action in and towards the world will always call us beyond ourselves.