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Just over a week ago I gathered with 14 other Christians. We represented  several Christian faith traditions, came from different backgrounds, where in different places on our life’s journey. But we came together and we made sacred community for a time, as we shared and reflected on our gifts and talents, our dreams, and about hunger in the world and Bread and its role.Early on in our gather we broke into small groups to reflect upon different scriptural passages dealing with spiritual gifts,  before coming back together and sharing about what we felt ours. The passage my small group reflected on came from Paul’s letter to the Romans. Our passage was Rommans 12:4-8, though the passage started with verse 3 and then 4-8 was bolded. Bellow you will find it in the NRSV, which we had before us, and also the Inclusive Bible:

In light of Grace I have from God, I urge each of you not to exaggerate your own importance. Each of you must judge yourself soberly by the standard of faith God has forgiven you. Just as each of us has one body with many members— and these members don’t have the same function— so all of us, in union with Christ, form one body. And as members of that one body, we belong to each other.
We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophecy, use it in proportion to your faith. If your gift is ministry, use it for service. If you are a teacher, use your gift for teaching. If you are good at preaching, then preach boldly. If you give to charity, do so generously; if you are a leader, exercise your authority with care, if you help others, do so cheerfully.

Romans 12:4-8 Inclusive Bible

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. ⁴For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, ⁵so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. ⁶We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ⁷ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching;⁸the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

Romans 12:4-8 NRSV

We reflected in our small group about the diversity of gifts, the need for them, the need for “unity in diversity”, about our interconnectedness. We shared what gifts mentioned we felt related to our own gifts and expression.

Later in another small group as we sought to create a brief elevator speech about Bread, and then to respond to a particular response someone might say. The three of us talked about a few things, as we responded to our “response.” We got of track a bit at some point, though related in a way to the task before us, and started sharing and reflecting how wonderful it was to be engaging the issues as an ecumenical voice, and in that conversation reflecting on how each denomination is unique, gifted with its own sets of gifts and talents and calling, and together we represent the body of Christ. Reflecting how as institutions we are interconnected and need one another to be able to live out as the Body of Christ. We also started to reflect on interfaith possibilities as well, but our time ran out and it was time to come back to the group as a whole.

But this has gotten me thinking, and thus as I write this on at the start of the Easter season, I feel the need to share. For it is something that keeps coming to mind, as I encounter additional scriptures, and prepare for World Conference.

Let’s start with one of the scriptures from the World Conference pages:

…let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body.  And be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.

Colossians 3:15-16

Let Christ’s peace reign in your hearts since, as members of one body, you have been called to that peace. Dedicate yourselves to thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ, rich as it is, dwell in you. Instruct and admonish one another wisely. Sing gratefully to God from your hearts in psalms, hymns, and songs of the Spirit

Colossians 3:15-16 Inclusive Bible

And also from Steve’s explanatory remarks  within the Counsel he shared with the church in January:

As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:27–29:

All of you who have been baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. In Christ there is no Jew or Greek, slave or citizen, male or female. All are one in Christ Jesus. Furthermore, if you belong to Christ, you are the offspring of Abraham, which means you inherit all that was promised. Galatians 3:27-29 Inclusive Bible

I wonder as I read these about our tendency to reflect upon them as individuals.  The Authors of the original letters were speaking to particular groups of people, and so perhaps it is right that we look upon them as being to the individuals that made up that community. Surely they were addressing some issues that were coming up within the community, but perhaps another layer could be seen as how the different communities relate to one another, even if not the primary aim. I think for us today, both an individual and a communal understanding should be taken. You, and I, and everyone else have been given a series of gifts and talents, we have been entrusted with these gifts, as others have been entrusted with theirs. We are all different, but we are “one” in the One who is Risen, yes Risen Indeed!

At the same time we are not just called into being as individuals, we are called into being as families, and communities. Community of Christ was divinely called into being, but not divinely called into being to be THE Community, just as I was not called into being to be THE human, or THE Christian nor were you, but to be one part of a greater whole.

We individually and communally have been called, we have been blessed with specific gifts and talents, that are DIFFERENT than those of others. Some may be similar to others, but the exact set is DIFFERENT. However without the gifts and talents of everyone else’s, the greater Body does not function, we are all needed to bring about healing and reconciliation. Community of Christ as a people of Temple, a people of sacrament, a people of peace, justice, restoration… as a prophetic people, Must stand with others to lift up that prophetic voice, and with the rest of the Body bring about healing and restoration to all of creation.

I hope that as we step forward this coming week as a body, we will have the strength to be a Body, to truly embrace our diversity, and become the prophetic people we are called to be. part of which mean making sure we ALL are functioning as we are called to be, and part of which means recognizing that this “body” that we make up is but one member of the greater Body of Christ. Together we are ALL one in Christ. Together we live the Resurrection of Christ and share that hope and good news to the World.

This morning (well now I guess yesterday) as I sat and reflected in the Prayer and testimony service, a few images came to me. Two were of my time as a Chaplain at a major Hospital: My experiences last Easter as I preached there and ministered with patients, families, and staff throughout the day, and the other the time I shared with an old catholic man who called me Father, even knowing I was not a Catholic priest. The third though is what I want to dwell on, it was thoughts of Church History, thoughts of the Sacramental meal… remembering how for some early on when they partook of the sacramental meal, they had an understanding of transformation of self. I wondered, what would happen, if we as a global community and family truly took the time to embrace the sacramental meal during conference, and became transformed into the prophetic expression of the Living Risen Christ we are called to be. That from our sharing in bread and wine together this Coming Sunday we become transformed into a prophetic people willing to listen to one another, embrace our diversity, learn our gifts, and truly live out our core values/enduring principles and our divine calling. What if we are transformed into a whole body, that knows its interconnectedness and interdependence on its members, and also in its relationships with other whole bodies that make up the Body of Christ, the Body of Faiths, the Body of Creation….  It would be amazing, I hope at the least we will at least become aware, and take the steps needed to become the Body (that is part of a greater body) that the Holy called us 170 years ago, 150 years ago, 50 years ago, 3 years ago, yesterday, today, tomorrow….  That we will embrace a path that WILL be difficult, that WILL be uncomfortable, but WILL lead to the healing and restoring of all of creation, if we have faith in ourselves, each others, our calling, the Hope and Peace of the Risen Christ, Comfort and Hope of the Breathing Spirit, and Love and Grace of the Holly Creating One.

Well I need some rest now, till next time Peace be with you…