"There is a greater willingness not to be isolated but to come into come-unity. I think that the circumstances that we face in the religious community cause us to come together in unity to meet certain needs in our community. The church has had to speak out." (Vernon Lambe, pastor & national leader in Bermuda as quoted in "Nation Changer," One Voice Oct/Nov 2006 - Issue#15, www.onevoicemag.org)
i loved this article -- i loved this quote, and i loved this clever play on words: come-unity
that's what it's all about, isn't it?
getting past ourselves, leaving the isolation, crossing the divide, regardless of the cost, to come together into unity for the sake of the Gospel message to a world in need, fulfiling the prayer of Christ.
i had a recent post (tired) in which i wrote about taking that initiative personally with other pastors--yesterday, i left with 5 other church members after morning worship to do the same thing. we drove 3 hours south to Wetumpka, AL (northeast of Montgomery) to meet with another church in their community unity service. we spent a couple hours in wonderful worship and sincere fellowship, then back on the van for another 3 hour ride home
more than the distance covered physically, what made this trip important was the divide crossed socially and racially. for all our preaching about unity, our state ministries are still divided in 2006 A.D. by race--yes, a predominantly black and a predominantly white assembly. we've talked about unity, over and over again. we've prayed about it, and made all sorts of good intentions -- but nobody's moving.
i opened my mouth a couple years ago about needing to start crossing the divide and the pastor of the Wetumpka church heard me. that's when i met sister Daisybelle Thomas-Quinney. she asked if i would be willing to get our churches together, and i said absolutely. then our two assemblies began working hard to meeting together in prayer and discussions for unity. then the discussions stalled, again.
sister Quinney and i saw each other again last August. she said, "brother ken we can't wait any longer on everybody else, we gotta start doing it and let everybody else catch up." i agreed and she invited us to make the trip the second Sunday in September -- but our church already had plans, so i told her we'd come the second Sunday in October. she said great, and nothing more was said. i went back to our congregation and told everyone to mark their calendars, we're going to Wetumpka!
two weeks ago when i called her to tell her i hadn't forgotten and was trying to get others to make the trip. she told me about their plans for an afternoon community service with other pastors and churches. i told her we'd try to make it, and she told me she'd understand if we couldn't. even though we came in a few minutes late on Sunday, she shared with the congregation our story and shared with me the joy she felt because we were willing to come
also in attendance was her district pastor, who also publicly made the pledge to make good on a promise to have unity prayer meeting scheduled in Decatur--a meeting intentioned but never actualized when our last unity talks stalled.
now sister Quinney and their church are making plans for a 6 hour roundtrip--and perhaps together, we can see our churches come into unity for the sake of the Gospel
"...may they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me" (John 17:23)
