Some time ago a group gathered in the basement of a church in the United States to watch slides that were taken on a recent missionary trip to Africa. Seated on creaky chairs in a cavernous fellowship hall, the faithful stifled yawns as they watched the videotaped images from far away flicker across the screen.
There were scenes of African men digging a well from the earth, beaded necklaces swinging with every effort. The timbers of anonymous walls were hoisted up against alien landscapes. In surreal order, the time-lapse photography of the videotape captured the building’s completion. The walls were slapped together with wood and mud; bundles of grassy thatch were tied to the roof.
On the inside, the sights were just as strange. Turbaned women in exotic swirls of fabric swayed to unfamiliar music. Voices rose to chant in a mysterious language. Bare feet stamped the earthen floors; dust glimmered in the morning light.
Suddenly, amidst all that was strange and alien, something familiar began to happen. Men and women came forward from the crowd. The singing and clapping dropped to a rhythmic hum. The camera swept across the crowd and came to rest on a small table. Shiny trays filled with bread and juice shimmered in the African sun. The deacons lifted the trays and began to serve the faithful.
In a fellowship hall thousands of miles away, seated on creaky folding chairs, the faithful
recognized the faithful. Still today, we recognize the faithful as they break bread in Christ’s name.
October 4 is World Communion Sunday. People all around the world in all different kinds of churches will gather in worship, celebrating communion.
Jesse Bader was a Disciples minister who worked with Christians from all over the world and came up with a really great idea. He thought, “Wouldn’t it be neat if Christians all over the world would choose one Sunday each year and plan on having communion on that day?” (Even though Disciples congregations celebrate The Lord’s Supper each week, not all congregations do.)
He thought it would be a way of remembering how big God’s family really is – how many
Christian sisters and brothers we have in Canada, Mexico, Northern Ireland, Zaire, the Middle East, Thailand, etc. Christians all over the world – all taking communion on the same day – and all remembering that we are one body in Christ, one family in God.
When we gather at The Lord’s Table on October 4 to celebrate World Communion Sunday, we will also remember that the church is much bigger than just us. Thanks be to God!
Blessings,
Pastor Candice
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