By Charissa Ramey
Weather wise, we have had a pretty decent summer. It’s been hot a few days and really nice on others. We have had rain relatively steadily, whereas the last couple years it come almost all in spring, which caused problems for farmers.
This year, its been pretty good, but we’ve had a pandemic, riots, and most of us have been confined to our homes.
My second job is as a regional coordinator for outdoor ministries for the state of Indiana for my denomination. As I suspect is the same for most of your children, our camps were held virtually. Instead of the weeklong getaway our kids have to be in nature, with friends, and finding a stronger connection with God, we were at home playing virtual games and trying to sing together. As fun as it was, it just wasn’t the same.
We all have similar stories. Some have missed vacations and retreats, and others have had them via some online platform. The effort is put in, but yet there is still lingering feeling that we are not quite satisfied.
There is just something about social interaction where we communicate in person and face to face that brings more comfort and feelings of wholeness. We can get to know and have genuine communion with someone only when we can be together.
Psalm 133:1 says, “How pleasant it is for people to dwell together in unity.”
Here’s the thing: It is our job as Christians to continue to find ways to live in compassion, in grace and in unity. We are being called in these times to see people where they are and bring them into the fold of togetherness. All people.
Finding creative ways of connection while socially distanced and wearing masks is no easy feat. We are all created in the image of our God and loved by our creator as children of God. What ways are we showing the strength of togetherness and communion with our fellow brothers and sisters of the human race?
We all have an opinion and we can all take our stands, even vehemently disagree with one another. We can totally despise what one another stands for and do our part to act out against the hate and the pain.
God does not call us to agree, but God does call us to love. Love ALL of God’s children in the face of disagreement and anger, loss and shame. At the close of it all, we are called to love, to open ourselves to those who we may call our enemies.
No one said being a Christian was easy. Let’s do our part and be the example of what that kind of love might be like.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Corinthians 13:11).
The Rev. Charissa Ramey is pastor of Nameless Creek Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). This weekly column is written by local clergy members.
