By Greg Yee, Superintendent, PacNWC
Introducing our third quarter’s focus is going to be easy. I won’t need to convince you. I won’t need to offer a word of admonishment or speak a prophetic word. No arm-twisting will be necessary at all! Our Q3 focus is COMMUNITY.
UCLA professor Matthew Lieberman states that the need to connect socially is a basic foundational human need like food, water and shelter. He pre-pandemically states that, “Being socially connected is our brain’s lifelong passion…It’s been baked into our operating system…Someday, we will look back and wonder how we ever had lives, work and schools that weren’t guided by the principles of the social brain…”1
Neuroscience confirms what scripture has already taught us. We are hardwired for community. It comes from being made in God’s image as Trinity. The Father, Son, and Spirit have known perfect interactive unity, a divine communality. Jesus prays to the Father in the upper room, “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me…”2 We are created for community. It is not just what God intends, but it is his very nature, and ours.
We reflect God when we are connected and woven together. And we know well as Covenanters, that we are most creative and effective in mission when it comes out of a deepening and growing relationality.
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.3
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.4
When we consider what being together again means after this pandemic journey, we’re challenged by what we hear: “It will never be the same again…” and “everything has changed.” Our employers and even the Covenant Church is debating what will returning back to work together look like: fully remote, some hybrid variation, or fully back in person? Is it possible to work effectively if we are not regularly connecting in person?
We’ve learned about the importance and effectiveness of technology and how to widen our front door. We’ve learned to be more efficient with meetings and how we can reduce travel and save time. But we’ve also learned the limitations of online connections. We’ve learned how self-absorbed we can become when we are not investing in being with others.
As churches are opening up again, this hardwiring is glaringly obvious. If you’re like me, it’s been so good to work out those atrophied relational muscles again. It’s been so good to properly greet people again, shaking hands and hugging. I love the increased proximity and being able to engage people more fully. I love being able to put my hand on a shoulder. I love kneeling down to engage a child more fully. I love being part of the beautiful sound of a room filled with people interacting. It’s who we are.
At the birth of the church, it was part of their first commitments. They devoted themselves to learning, community, sharing meals, and prayer. Literal miracles came out of this devotion – out of highly connected lives. Discernment and wisdom about completely uncharted ministry direction came out of their 4-fold devotion. It was out of community that lives were touched and transformed. It was out of their investment in being together that mission went forward.
We started 2021 focusing on evangelism in Q1 and then just finished our focus on prayer for Q2. The timing could not be more perfect for us to now step into highlighting community. We already long to be together again. Our hope in this highlight is that we would come back together with greater clarity and purpose than ever before. May it be Spirit-infused and guided. Let’s stretch those muscles, Mission Friends. Let’s build them up again, like never before.
We look forward to highlighting stories, providing new resources, and inviting you into some shared experiences together over these next three months.
A familiar African proverb and one used by a dear friend this past Sunday during his last sermon concluding over 20 years of service:
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
Let’s go far together!
1 TedX Talk: The Social Brain and Its Superpowers; Social: Why Our Brains are Wired to Connect, Lieberman, Matthew
2 John 17:22-23a
3 Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
4 Hebrews 10:24-25