We Are the Church Together

We Are the Church Together
By Ron Watts, Community Council Chair

There’s a song that says, “I am the church. You are the church. We are the church together.”  You’ve probably heard it. You won’t find those exact words in the Bible, but that’s certainly what the Bible teaches about being a church. The early church was a group of people who had experienced God. They came from different backgrounds and had different skills, but they all worked together to become the body of Christ in the world.  

What was important to that early church?

• They came together to worship God wherever they could find a spot to gather. 

• They studied together, learning from the Hebrew Scriptures and from the new letters written by people like Paul, Timothy and James. They wanted to grow in their faith. Discipleship was important to them. 

• They were on a mission to share the gospel with anyone who would listen. They even sent out missionaries.

• They were a community of believers, bound together by their love of God and their love for each other. They ate together. They cared for each other. They shared their possessions so no one would be lacking. They depended on each other. 

That early church thrived. It grew by leaps and bounds from almost nothing to a worldwide family of faith that still exists today because it focused on those basic values.

Those same values-worship, discipleship, mission and community-are the things we must always do well. So, Second-Ponce is focusing on these basics. We have created four councils to help us be intentional in our efforts in these areas and to make sure everyone has an opportunity to make a difference. In the coming weeks you’ll be hearing more about each of these councils, but for now, let’s look at the Community Council.

We grow in community, connecting and caring for each other, and inviting others to join us.

This is the vision for the Community Council. Church members, neighbors who drive by, members of our Community Wellness Center, our partner ministries - these are all a part of our community. We want to grow our community and build strong connections within it.

The pandemic put a strain on relationships. Our community has become scattered, and people feel alone and disconnected. What can we do to restore personal connections and a sense of belonging? We have technology so people can participate virtually, but how do we help them engage with us remotely?

Jesus charged us to grow the church - to encourage people to be a part of our community. We do that by offering people opportunities to engage with us and making sure they know about these opportunities. We do that by asking our friends and neighbors to participate with us. Today, more and more people don’t see a need for God in their lives. What can we do to convince them otherwise?

We grow in community when we greet people warmly, send cards and flowers, pray with each other, let somebody know they were missed, send exam care packages to college students and invite friends to come to church with us. We do these things, and more, well and we need to continue.

Are these things you are doing now? Would you like to do more? As you read this, are you thinking of new ways to build a strong and growing community? If so, we could use your help. I would love to hear from you. Please send me a note at community@spdl.org.

Remember, we are the church together. Everyone has a place. Everyone is important.

Ron Watts, Community Council Chair