Village - Monday Musing, August 8, 2022

Dear Church,

Village – a clustered human community with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Though villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighborhoods. The phrase “it takes a village” originates from an African proverb and conveys the message that it takes many people (“the village”) to provide a safe, healthy environment for children, where children are given the security they need to develop and flourish, and to be able to realize their hopes and dreams. The phrase has been popularly used in culture – Toni Morrison and Hillary Rodham Clinton are examples of those who have adapted the phrase and used it in their respective areas of work.

The phrase is aptly applicable to a community of faith. We gather as a community with common hopes, and help one another accomplish our goals. Such was on full display this past week with our 69th annual summer Church Fair. It was a major undertaking – thankfully this event only occurs once a year. There were many ways in which people contributed – there were those who led or coordinated the fair; those who worked setting-up and/or cleaning-up; those who contributed goods that were sold; those who welcomed the many visitors and worked in the humid heat of the day; those who shopped and contributed their financial resources; and those who prayed for our success. Many thanks to everyone who took part in this joy-filled event. The contributions were many – it took our entire village working together to accomplish this goal.

The Apostle Paul writes, “For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness (Romans 12:4-8, NRSV). Our summer Fair gave us the opportunity to showcase the ministry of The Federated Church of Orleans, displaying God’s love and ours as we greeted, smiled, and helped visitors navigate the fair.

It will take our village – coming together – to continue this annual tradition another year. While muscles may be sore right now, I pray that the warmth of God’s love surrounding us last week lingers long into the future. See you in church!

Faithfully,

Darren