PJ’s Page –
I’ve given much thought lately about what it means to be at home. For me, home is a place of comfort and peace, in ideal circumstances, which are not always what we have, but what we hope for.
In my lifetime I have lived in 27 different homes, NOT including my college years! Career and life circumstances have always meant that I was in a highly mobile family and life situation. I always found that this was an adventure! It was a chance to occupy a new space – and I think it also helped form my understanding of myself and my family. Home, you see, was never the house where we lived, it was the place where our loved ones were gathered and abiding.
The home Bruce, Taylor, and I moved into over five years ago is actually the physical space I’ve occupied for the longest time in my life! We have many happy memories there, but none of those memories are dependent on the house. They are memories we’ve made because of our relationships with one another.
Recently, Bruce and I came to realize that we are rambling around in a lot of square footage for two adults and a six pound dog. So we started to imagine living elsewhere. What would a ‘dream home’ look like? Would it be close to water? Would it have a view of the mountains? (Yes to both) Would it be secluded in an out-of-town space? Would it be in a builder’s development? (No to both) What we determined was that we love the pace and energy of the city, that the water draws us, and that we don’t need anywhere near the amount of space that we currently occupy. So, we are about to embark on an adventure! We have rented out our current home, starting August 1st, and have signed a lease for a really lovely, very small condominium downtown, overlooking Elliott Bay, at about Pier 62/63.
Some things will change: We will have MUCH less space. I will drive a bit farther to work, but against the usual flow of traffic. We will have Pike Place Market literally behind our home and the water in front of us.
Some things will stay the same: We will occupy this home with the same kind of love and grace and the same kind of quirks and foibles with which we occupy our current home.
I’ve been thinking a lot about a congregation as a “church home.” This is a trickier thing because even that language means that we claim a sense of ownership. And every time we do that, God reminds us that all we have is given to us by God to use for God’s purposes. And a church home requires a doorway that is wide and welcomes the stranger and the long time occupant equally. This is harder for us to do.
And what we know to be true is what the children’s song reminds us of: The church is not a building, the church is not a steeple, the church is not a parking lot, the church is people. (Some liberties taken with lyrics!)
It’s tempting to spend much time and energy in the care and keeping of our buildings and believe that we are doing the work of the Kingdom. But we must be clear: we tend to our buildings only insofar as they enable and equip the work of the Kingdom. We come into our building for worship and learning and meetings and sometimes fellowship – but ministry and mission – they happen outside of these walls.
At our synod assembly Cynthia Moe-Lobeda, esteemed theologian, professor, disciple, author, and niece of Mary Walters, reminded us of this truth: “If we’re going to become better lovers of neighbors [church is] not going to be the way it used to be.”
The good old days are long behind us. We cannot keep looking back, which is what Scripture reminds us. For Jesus words on this, we have this from Luke’s Gospel “Jesus answered, ‘Whoever puts a hand to the plow but keeps looking back is unfit for the reign of God.’” Luke 9: 62
The risen and ascended Christ calls us to look forward; that’s where he’s leading us! Home, perhaps, by another way, a way we did not anticipate and did not expect, but home to life in the fullness of the Kingdom of God.
Going home with you!
-PJ+