The Uprising of Fellowship

It's going to be very hard to desist from political comment now that a General Election has been declared, but I'm going to try. Instead, I will try to give myself to more prayer for our nation and our world. I have such a sense of things getting out of control, it seems to be the only thing I can do. Certainly, no contributions to the debates from me will make the slightest difference!

The week after Easter always feels like an anti-climax. Usually I am on leave this week, but for various reasons this year I am not. Just as well really as we've been hit by a number of funerals. I have had three this week and two next, which have involved visits. In addition, there are two special events coming up next week to prepare for: an 'enquirers' evening at a local coffee shop, and the Team's Annual Meeting at a local hotel. Both require careful preparation.

In these weeks between Easter and Pentecost, our author maintains the theme of 'up-rising' - after the 'up-rising' of Jesus on Easter Day. That cataclysmic event changed everything, and resulted in the up-rising of a whole new community which over time has changed the world. And this community manifested a number of other up-risings which we consider from week to week. Today, the Uprising of Fellowship: how a scared bunch of disciples in an upper room became the earliest manifestation of 'church',

Their togetherness was key. Our Gospel reading tomorrow (from John 20) focusses on the story of Thomas, who cannot believe the message of resurrection because it is simply too good to be true. To his credit, though, he returns to the 'fellowship' of the disciples, even when he doubts, and is rewarded with the sight of the risen Lord. It's a powerful reminder to us of the need to hang in there, to stick with our brothers and sisters even when we have doubts and the going is tough. I like McLaren's description of fellowship: it's for scared people and for scarred people, and for people who want to believe but aren't sure what or how to believe. When we come together just as we are, we begin to rise again, to believe again, to hope again, to live again. Through fellowship, a little locked room becomes the biggest space in the world (where) the Holy Spirit fills us like a breath of fresh air. (p214)