Intentional Community
Ask yourself are you just living your life or are you living your life with intention? And what does it look like to live life with intention? Last week we explored the story in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit descended upon the people who had devoted themselves to Jesus. This is understood to be the beginning of the Christian Church. It says in Acts 2:42 “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” The early church understood commitment as participating in something bigger than themselves. The word “devoted” here implies ongoing dedication - choosing again and again to belong, learn, share, and serve together. For me, this is what it looks like to live life with intention.
As I begin to contemplate what retirement might look like, I worry that my life will not be as full as it is now, though most retired people I know are engaged in a lot of activities. As a person who is more introverted, I am generally quite content with having a small circle of friends and time to be with myself. I have dreamed that in retirement I can finally get back to writing creatively. BUT…it turns out that my inspiration comes from being in community. My creative spark comes from things people say around me or do, it comes from observing people serving the world in love, it comes from exploring faith with others. I personally need a faith community to keep me connected and to keep me participating in something bigger than myself.
What initially drew me to ministry was being a part of an intentional community. An intentional community is a group of people who consciously choose to live, gather, organize, or support one another around shared values, purpose, or commitments rather than simply existing near each other by circumstance.” The key word here is intentional. Being intentional in community means that people are actively asking: How do we want to live together? What kind of community are we creating? How do we care for one another and the wider world? I believe that at Robertson-Wesley God is calling us to intentionally organize our lives around compassion, generosity, worship, justice and belonging. Instead of floating through life anonymously we are known. When we rub up against differences we navigate them with compassion. When we live with intention people contribute and receive, and relationships are seen as transformative. The truth of the matter is that there are a myriad of ways to engage in the life of Robertson-Wesley. It may seem a bit daunting at first if you are new to the community. Perhaps you are not sure what you can offer or where you fit. It is up to all of us to take time, and talk about the ways that we are involved, for it is through these stories that we are inspired and find our place. People who have been here for a while need to remember to leave space for others, and to be encouraging of people’s exploration rather than telling people what they “should” do. For those who have been in roles before, how can you mentor others as they discover their passions? How do we help each other nourish our faith so that our service is grounded in the love of God? I hope that you will continue to choose to live your life intentionally at Robertson-Wesley. God has brought you here and for this we are truly grateful.
Blessings, Rev. Karen