Living In Hope

This past Sunday was a big day for the PC(USA), friends. On Sunday Amendment 10-A officially went into effect (along with another amendment changing denomination's Form of Government). I've written about 10-A before, but in case you missed it, check out this post for some links to basic info and other people's thoughts. Also as I've mentioned before, 2PC is a More Light congregation so naturally folks were pretty excited on Sunday. The sermon, given by two people with strong ties to 2PC and 10-A, was absolutely wonderful, and full of emotion and courage. You can listen to it here if you're interested.

There was a lot of talk about how we need to get rid of the barriers we humans have built up--that those barriers were destroyed when a certain friend of ours came along (you may have heard of him...went by the name of Jesus?). And I couldn't agree more. I mean, whatever higher power you believe in (or don't believe in), I just don't think we're all meant to be separated and hating on each other. I was struck by the beauty of communion on this particular Sunday morning, and yet again by how beautiful a thing a community like Second can be.

Maybe everybody in the room isn't sure how they feel about 10-A, or how they feel about whatever other issue is at the forefront of discussion. Maybe everybody in the room is struggling with different things--money, family, what the heck they'll be doing a year from now...

Maybe everybody in the room has a chance every Sunday morning for all of those things to not matter.

You might as well just take the maybe out of that last sentence. Here we are this collection of people, young and old, employed and jobless, strong in our faith or questioning. But it doesn't matter. Come communion time, just forget those divisions and go on up there and get yourself some bread of life!

At some point during the service we heard the phrase "live in hope." I'd be lying if I said I could remember where (sermon, a prayer...who knows. Sorry!). But those words stuck with me. Sitting there in the pew I thought about the difference between what it might mean to be hopeful, and what it might mean to live in hope. I s'pose we can be hopeful without really making that much of a commitment. I'm hopeful that test turns out well, I'm hopeful that boy likes me...whatever it is. You hope it works out, but maybe it's not the end of the world if it doesn't.

But to live in hope! To give your whole life to being hopeful. That is something different. To constantly be hoping for a more loving world, to be hoping that things will get better, to be hoping that every single person can find a place where they are loved and accepted for being just who they are, whether that's in a church community or elsewhere.

So, I think I'll try and live in hope, friends. I'm living in hope that God will continue to move through the YAV program, through 2PC, through the greater church and through the world. Not sayin' I'll be perfect at it. But if anything's worth a little effort I figure this is.

Love,
Allison

PS- Apparently, as I've been informed, "Live In Hope" was the last hymn of the morning.