Communication & Communion
 
I've shared in several ways the story of how we came to have a "Moment of Fellowship" in our Worship services: It is not simply a time to meet and greet, it is a time of reconciliation. As the apostle Paul wrote in his letters to the New Testament churches, we are not to approach the Lord's Table if we bear a complaint against one of our brothers or sisters in Christ. In the early church, this understanding led to the practice of offering one another signs of peace and reconciliation during worship, a practice that continues to this day.
 
It's a good lesson for us to remember as we gather each Sunday for worship. The practical application of this for us can be simply stated-if we are angry with anyone, we should feel compelled to make amends with them immediately; if we choose to harbor our complaint, we harden our hearts and limit what God can do in and through us.
 
Our recent discussion regarding the placement of flags in our sanctuary is an excellent example. When I arrived at BUMC, the U.S. and Christian flags were standing on either side of the doors at the back of the sanctuary. For my part, I mistakenly assumed that this was the accepted tradition at Buckingham, and simply checked to see that the U.S. Flag was in its proper place according to where it was displayed. Unfortunately, I only recently discovered that a number of our members were not only dissatisfied with the way the Flag was displayed, they were downright angry about it.
 
Just this past Sunday, our Administrative Council did something we should have done long ago: set a defined protocol for how to display flags in our sanctuary. For the most part, the decision was satisfactory for everyone, and the flags are now displayed according to standard protocol established by the USA for houses of worship. This is a very good thing.
 
What was shocking to me as your pastor, however, was how much anger had been kept below the surface regarding this issue. In fact, until one of our members stepped forward a few months ago, I did not even know it was an issue for anyone.
 
At the Forum hosted by the Administrative Council on Sunday, I discovered that it had been smoldering for a very long time. As we all know, whether we see it or not, a smoldering coal can ignite a terribly destructive fire.
 
There have been other issues in the history of our church that have smoldered like this and have eventually produced fires much more destructive than they needed to be. In this regard, we are no different than any other church. We are, after all, human beings who are imperfect. These things will happen.
 
Thank God we have a path of redemption and forgiveness. In spite of the fact that we do not always forgive one another, God continues to forgive us. Yet God never allows us to simply stay where we are. Instead, the process of redemption changes us. It makes us more like our savior, Jesus Christ. We are called to a different standard than the general public: We are called to let God's grace work in our lives, to speak the truth in love, to forgive one another, and to take the road of reconciliation with each other. No matter how difficult it may be for us, we must share our burdens so that they do not become for us a millstone that keeps us anchored in our human failings. When we have issues with someone, it is our Christian responsibility to speak directly with that person. As a pastor, I have discovered that most people will talk to anyone except the one person who can help us resolve the issue!
 
I am proud of our Council for the way we resolved the issue and put together a policy that was acceptable to everyone. Even if it wasn't exactly what every single person would have set on his or her own, it was a wonderful example of what can happen when we allow the Spirit to work in us. This is the road we must take. People in our culture need to see that the church is at least one place in the world that practices real community through the way we communicate.
 
Come Sunday, we will all gather once again around the Lord's Table and share in Communion. Will you-to paraphrase the words of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism-take my hand and approach the Table in peace and reconciliation? I pray your answer is yes and I believe it will be.