Community – Love

“Christian brotherhood is not an ideal which we must realize; it is rather a reality created by G-d in Christ in which we may participate.”

– Dietrich Bonhoeffer

This is a lifetime of shared moments.

Though somewhat superficial and obvious on its face, this statement, this truth, is of paramount importance.  We are creatures that define ourselves in relationship.  Who we share space with and how is of so much importance that Jesus makes these two things the marker of His followers – He put it all on this, “A new command I give you – that you love one another, as I loved you, so must you love one another.  That is how all men will know that you are my disciples.”  There is a truly mystical connotation to this statement – that all those with whom our lives, our communities, intersect will not only meet G-d in those moments but experience Him. 

“Christian brotherhood is not an ideal but a divine reality… Christian brotherhood is a spiritual, not psychic reality.”

– Dietrich Bonhoeffer

G-d has made community, relationship, the foremost meeting ground of G-d with humanity.  It is the new temple – the present manifestation of the ancient temple.  Historically, people came from all over the world to see Solomon’s temple in Israel because its majesty projected the glory of G-d.  It was here, people sought G-d's voice, to be in His presence, to see G-d.  This temple was their meeting ground both with each other and with G-d. With Christ it is the same – our relationships link us together and are now the sacred nexus between G-d and man, as we are connected through Christ's resurrection, pointing each other to G-d. This is now the temple - the sacred space. Relationships create a looking-glass into eternity; thus, in relationships to each other we come to know G-d more.

“When I go to my brother… I am going to G-d.”

– Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Our communities of G-d, our hearts, our very being, are to be defined by our relationship with G-d, for though we are not G-d, we are one with G-d.  We are inextricably linked.  The very core of who we are is to be informed by G-d’s love, creating a beautiful environment of freedom that moves us to do the same for others.  This is love.  Love frees.  Love connects. We are so deeply spiritual at our core, for the essence of humanity is spirit which means that every interaction with another human being has the potential to be deeply spiritual at its core. Your soul can meet another, nurture another, encourage another, forge a deeply profound connection with another and with this interaction, help someone transform "knowledge of G-d" to an "understanding of G-d.”

We are a people that believe we are not human beings having a spiritual

experience but spiritual beings having a human experience – and that because

of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, there is a reconciliation of

the two. That because of this act of God's love, we are able to be a

community that lives by faith, bringing hope to a broken world. And so as we

move toward this end, we desire to be a people that live in such a way that

we are constantly expanding each others' imagination as to what God has

done, is doing and longs to do within humanity.  We believe that as we

breathe life and love, not only into this city but into this world, we will

begin to awaken the generations. – The Alchemy Projekt