April 16thRelics? Momentos?
As I was reflecting on the wonderful ADS weekend we had, I was struck by one of Ryan’s comments on Saturday afternoon. In talking about visiting an Orthodox home, he mentioned the relics he saw throughout the home. While as Mennonites we don’t have crucifixes hanging in our homes, we do have momentos. In the picture below are a couple of mine that I want to share with you this week. While they aren’t relics, they do mark significant events in my Christian walk. The first is the Bible I received in Grade 9 from the church. This is the Bible I used through high school and then took on to study at Bible school. It is open to the verses that was read when it was presented - Colossians 3:16a; “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom.” The Bible represents a connection to a community as well as a responsibility to that community to use it for my own study and also within the community. While I have moved for school, marriage, and work since I was presented with the Bible, I have bought the Bible with me and the connection remains. The connection to the original community has expanded to the larger Christian community as well as the responsibility.
The second object in the picture is a simple pair of mugs. These were given to Krista and me when we joined Foothills Mennonite Church as members. They represent another connection to another Christian community, a reminder of a commitment to be part of and work within that community. Since receiving the mugs, we got in the habit of having our Sunday morning coffee in these mugs, a way to prepare for being in community each week. During Covid, this ritual became even more important. While we couldn’t join in person each week, these mugs were a reminder of that connection. Sitting on the couch with the mugs in our hands we worshiped over Zoom holding the community figuratively in our hands and in our hearts. Since I have had the privilege of working from home on occasion, I am now in the habit of using this mug for my morning coffee on these days. This habit is a reminder of the community that I am connected to.
Why do I share these moments of time with you? I want each of you to think of what the markers are in your Christian journey. How do they connect you to the community of Christ and what responsibilities came with them?