Uncommon Community

When I think "community" I often think my neighborhood or my church community, and when I expect "community" to be close, I think church and then am frustrated when I don't feel much cohesive connection do those I "do church" with. I wonder often what it would look like to live "life together"..... I've oftentimes dismissed it because of the fast pace of where we live, where it is difficult to see family, let alone friends.

Still, I think church when I think "community."

Yet there are other communities and I wonder at times if they are even more close-knit than a church community. I think it is easier to be in community with folks that share a common interest with each other. Often times the unifying common bond is a sport. My husband does triathlons and it is a huge and close community of people that he's just breaking into and enjoying. They are very welcoming, have a common bond and tend to have other similar interests outside just the pursuit of their sport.

My kids were on a swim team a few years ago and I just got a Yahoo and Facebeook notification that one of the head timers had died this past week. First an email saying he was gravely ill and to please pray for him. Then a few hours later, a notice that he'd passed and to pray for his family. Several folks addressed an email to him, thanking him (a bit late!) for who he was and what he accomplished and how much they appreciated and even loved him. An email was sent with funeral arrangements and just now I received a sign up for providing meals for the family as well as financial assistance.

And I just think: Wow. This is a loving community that cares for each other in a way I hadn't expected. They felt they were family.

Sometimes I wonder why it is that I don't feel the same bond at church. Is it me? Is if where I live? Do I not care enough? Am I too busy and preoccupied? What does it mean to "do life together?" Am I afraid of it? Am I indifferent to it? Do I like it in theory but not practice?

Just some thoughts running through my head, late at night.