Community

I work in Community Health. We sometimes talk about what “community” means. Basically, community is the sense of belonging with others to form a mutually beneficial group. There is a great variety of different communities that people belong to – families, workplaces, social groups, sporting clubs, welfare organizations, churches and others. Many of us belong to a number of such groups and have plenty of opportunity to connect with others.

In my work I often meet with people who are very isolated socially, through sometimes their own choice, or through health reasons, lack of family connections, lack of available services or other reasons.

When I visit people throughout my working day, in a sense I am bringing community to them. I am part of their support network. They understand that they are by no means disregarded or forgotten by the society in which they live, but are valued and respected and have dignity and worth. I love my work and am genuinely interested in each client individually. Many are older people who have varied and interesting life histories and have made significant contributions to the country in which we live.

The church of Jesus Christ is its own community. We often think of the church as a particular place of worship and its congregation. This may be so in a very literal and limited sense, but the church as a whole is the community of people committed to Christ wherever they may be. Our brothers and sisters in Christ are not only those committed Christians in our own particular church building, but are the body of Christ throughout the world.

Just as I take community to others as a representative of the health service with which I am employed, so too, as Christians, we represent the Christian community throughout our everyday lives. We take Christ into our workplaces, schools, friendship groups, social activities. We are roving ambassadors for our King. There are many, many people in the western world who would not think of stepping foot inside a church building, but they have the opportunity to see Christ displayed through the power of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life.

As part of a Christian community, we can meet a stranger and straight away know that there is a connection there through our shared faith. Many times throughout my life and work I have been blessed by fellow believers. 

This afternoon in a bookstore I encountered a Christian brother who was struggling. We spent some time together talking and praying together for a solution to the problems that were greatly troubling him. This too is Christian community. Often we deliberately connect with Christian friends, but often too, God brings people together to support and encourage one another through His means and timing.

May you have a sense of being part of a caring community. May you also encourage  someone to feel included and cared about. God bless you.