Doing Church

 Let me help you with my version of what a church is. Church, in the original language, was ekkelesia, which has the meaning of a group of individuals called out to form a community. Over the years, politics and power made it an entity to control peoples behaviours and to collect money/taxes, as it dominated peoples lives from cradle to grave. Of course, the promise of heaven and the punishment of hell reinforces this idea. Since Enlightenment and eventual evolution of modern science, church felt threatened and laid even stricter rules of conduct and behaviours, particularly inthe area of human reproduction and roles of men and women, Church is shocked by modernity and at this time, reduces to four walls and hiding from the public, My branch of faith, called fundamentalism actively tried to turn back the tide and legislate their own branch of faith into public squares, finding as many political allies and supreme court justices and political action committees, all these efforts cannot hide the fact that it is dying,. and as it dies, more struggle it gives.

Kids raised today are devoid of miraculous and this beauty of faith - how people can do things for others, without asking anythingin return. This was how this country began, a small group of people came here to have their own way of life and conduct without being punished by the state, and locals helped them to get established, and they did so without asking anything , even in the end, this ushered in their own demise, Yes during a struggle to make this a nation, many others died and without asking anything in return. This religion, or church is called America, with her own ways of individualism and enterprises. 

A church is being formed out of the four walls of older church buildings, and I found that at our local farmers market. I find God in growing garlic and lettuce and raise chickens. and in that greeningof out Christianity, I see hope, a greener , gentler and kinder America who is now reduced to hiding behind our homes and being told to shelter in place. I see this as an opportunity to reach out and to help others and to assure them that we are still here, the church is still intact, and that after this covid 19, individuals can come together to bring about a better community, and do things for others that we each would also benefit from. A church, simply put is a community of good people, doing good and bring about goodness into the open and if Jesus helps you to do that, so be it, or for me a beautiful garlic, shining and covers in the glorious morning sun and dew. In that mist of mystery, I see humanity and God and Jesus and that frighten young unwed teenager girl Mary, and all those who preceded me, yes, I should have gone to seminary and become a minister, but here i am a minister on my own and in my garden. Church , ekklesia, is a group of people, called out, for a purpose and that call is still there, urgent as ever.