A lot has happened in our denomination in the past 200 years. Through it all, it is clear that God’s Spirit has been alive among us, just as it was on the Day of Pentecost, when people from “every nation under heaven” were gathered together, when each received the gospel in their own language, and understood that they were ONE, united by the Spirit.
The Spirit was alive among those earliest followers of Christ. The Spirit blew through them as they learned to welcome and accept gentiles into their midst. The Spirit opened their hearts, and the church was opened to both Roman soldiers and Ethiopian eunuchs. The Spirit was alive among them as they became ONE, learning to welcome one another, as Christ had welcomed them.
But what about here at Bixby Knolls Christian Church? Our first worship service took place on January 27, 1946. There was a lot of support for this new church: 277 worshippers were present that first Sunday, many of them friends from other nearby churches, namely North Long Beach Christian Church and Eastside Christian Church. However, a significant number of those present did become members of the new congregation.
Some years later, led by the Spirit, the people of Bixby Knolls Christian Church decided to become an “open membership” congregation. Throughout much of Disciples history, it was the practice to welcome only those who have been baptized by immersion. In deciding to become an “open membership” congregation, the people of Bixby Knolls Christian Church joined a growing number of Disciples in deciding to welcome all those who had been baptized in Christ, regardless of the form of baptism.
Clearly, back then the Spirit was alive among us.
Today, most of our congregation’s elders are women; but that wasn’t always the case. In fact, when the congregation began, only men were allowed to be elders. Twenty-eight years ago, in 1982, the congregation chose its first women elders: Mary Tucker and Doris Smith.
Clearly, in welcoming women into leadership at the Lord’s Table, the Spirit was alive among us.
In 1984, Bixby Knolls Christian Church engaged in a period of study and discernment on issues of peace. Eventually we decided to became a “shalom congregation,” dedicated to studying issues of peace for all of God’s children throughout the world.
In committing ourselves to studying issues of peace and working for peace for all people, the Spirit was alive among us.
Today we are a congregation of mixed races, and even mixed languages. Today, the Spirit is alive among us.
Today, we are a congregation of native-born as well as immigrants … and the Spirit is alive among us.
Today, we are a congregation of both young and old, people of many generations … and the Spirit is alive among us.
Today we are a congregation of mixed income levels … and the Spirit is alive among us.
Today we are a congregation of 2nd and 3rd generation Disciples; and we are a congregation of people new to the Disciples, folks who have come to the Disciples from other denominations and religions … and the Spirit is alive among us.
We are Disciples of Christ, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. As part of the one body of Christ, we welcome all the Christ’s table, as God has welcomed us.
As we look to the future, we give thanks to God for all the possibilities that lay before us. The Spirit is restless, like a wind on the sea. The Spirit pours itself out upon all flesh. The Spirit is alive among us.
No comments:
Post a Comment