Being an Intentional Christian Community

This past summer, I spent a week at confirmation camp with 13 Lutheran congregations, one big family of God, an intentional group of teenagers and leaders living together in a Christian community, sharing living space, eating together, worshipping together. Sounds great, doesn’t it? And it was. However, it was far from perfect. We had our disagreements and miscommunications. And yet, at the end of the week, we were still living together as an intentional Christian community. How good and pleasant when we can live together in unity.

Living together in unity, in my mind, doesn’t mean not being ourselves, but rather, I believe it means the coming together of individuals for the sake, health and benefit of the whole community, living together as an intentional community.

Our reading doesn’t call for perfect communities; in fact, I doubt one even exists. It does, however, encourage us to live together as children of God. Small quirks aside, our community that week believed we were united in one heart and soul as we built community with our young adults in confirmation ministry, all called to work together, to give and take in relationship, to forgive and to receive grace.

Loving God, help us to live in relationships of faithfulness and unity, as individuals within an intentional Christian community. Amen. — TLR

Contributed by Being an Intentional Christian Community

This past summer, I spent a week at confirmation camp with 13 Lutheran congregations, one big family of God, an intentional group of teenagers and leaders living together in a Christian community, sharing living space, eating together, worshipping together. Sounds great, doesn't it? And it was. However, it was far from perfect. We had our disagreements and miscommunications. And yet, at the end of the week, we were still living together as an intentional Christian community. How good and pleasant when we can live together in unity. Living together in unity, in my mind, doesn't mean not being ourselves, but rather, I believe it means the coming together of individuals for the sake, health and benefit of the whole community, living together as an intentional community. Our reading doesn't call for perfect communities; in fact, I doubt one even exists. It does, however, encourage us to live together as children of God. Small quirks aside, our community that week believed we were united in one heart and soul as we built community with our young adults in confirmation ministry, all called to work together, to give and take in relationship, to forgive and to receive grace.
Eternity for Today