When I Am Here with You I Am Home

Author: Judy Grantham, "Stewardship Moment," Sun., Nov. 10
November 13, 2019

In the little song “I am the church!” The children sing…

The church is not a building;
the church is not a steeple;
the church is not a resting place;
the church is a people.

When I look at you I see the church, the vibrant, beloved body of Christ.

I see the eyes of Christ looking for those who might be invisible. I see the hands of Christ helping others. I see the heart of Christ loving every soul created by God.

Personally I see my own family, my faith family.
I see those who stand beside me packing meals for starving children or bringing hope to incarcerated women. I see my sisters in Presbyterian Women striving to do our share of empowering the Sarahs, Rachels and Lydias of the world.

I see people who ask me about my grandchildren and who worry about me when I’m sick.
People who love me when I am silly and correct me when I’m wrong.
People who sing with me out of sheer joy and adoration.

I see people bent over their Bibles studying to understand better or praying fervently often for people they do not know. I see people devoted to educating, leading and nurturing children and youth.

I see a family of believing people trying to live out the gospel every day.

And just like a family this one runs on a budget. Our house must be maintained, steeple (or rather tower) and all.
Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and visiting those in prison all require an allowance.
The Bibles, music, preaching, piano tuning, curriculum, heat, paper, etc., etc., etc. all want their share of the resources.
Quint and I have always worked for non-profits so we are far from rich. But we find when we are generous with the church we always still seem to have enough.

Bill asked me to tell you what the church means to me.
So you generous, flawed, faithful, broken, struggling,
      celebrating, blessed people,
            you are my family and when I am here with you I am home.

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