Dear friends:
Nadia Bolz-Weber is an unconventional Lutheran pastor, writer, thinker, and bit of a provocateur. In her recent book, she writes,
_____Christianity is a lousy religion for the "I'll do it myself" set. [For our _____tradition teaches us] we are meant to be tangled up together. We are _____meant to live lives of profound interdependence, growing into, around, _____and out of each other. We cause pain and loss when we hold ourselves _____apart, because the fate of each individual branch affects the vine as a _____whole. In this metaphor, dependence is not a matter of personal _____morality or preference; it's a matter of life and death—branches that _____refuse to cling to the vine die.
It's a decidedly counter-cultural message, especially in our country that celebrates rugged individualism and personal liberty. Yet, even scientists suggest that communal responsibility and connected existence are woven into the design of the universe. Physicists propose particle and string theories that assume connectedness even at the molecular level.
This interdependence is precisely why we as a church have been so focused on our responsibility for each other and our community for the past two years. It's theology, not politics, that shapes our consciousness, and Jesus tells us to be responsible for each other and to join in God's care for the whole.
It's also why the state, county, and city mask mandates will sometimes differ from our own. Governmental mandates, while useful, are not prescriptive for faith communities. We embrace our own ethos, based on Jesus' teaching to "love God and neighbor." Thus, the Re-Opening Task Force will meet a bit more frequently in the coming weeks and months as we anticipate changes, but their criteria will not change (love of God, love of neighbor), and they will continue to guide the health practices of our congregation with care and creativity.
On a more personal note, I can hardly wait to worship without masks, go to sporting events without masks, and (I can't believe I'm saying this!) even attend in-person committee meetings. So, I know on a personal level that our leadership decisions are sometimes a source of frustration. But I'm grateful for a community where we know the One who provides our marching orders -- even if they challenge precious cultural values – and our commitment to follow them.
We'll listen to a few more of those marching orders this week as we read this compelling passage and continue our series on Ted Lasso.
Come, and bring a friend.
