We Are the Church!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at 3:54PM Here is the church
Here is the steeple
Open the doors
And see all the people
I’d venture to say a good number of us recited this rhyme at one point or another during our formative years. In fact, we probably know the actions too. It’s cute, and it’s catchy, and I am glad I learned it all those years ago, but there’s something a little bit wrong about it.
Last week, Staci Schulmerich, John Kim and I sat down to plan our outdoor worship for July 25. It didn’t take long before we settled on a theme: “We Are the Church.” Here’s why: on Sunday morning we will gather at 10 a.m. just like normal. There will be children, youth, parents, and older adults as there are every Sunday. There will be singing, prayers, and an offering. There will even be food. The only thing that will be missing will be our building, because all of this will happen at Hickman Park (23700 104th Ave West, Edmonds). Our “church” doors will be closed and our “church” lights will be turned off, but we will still gather to have church.
As John and Staci pointed out in our planning, the church is not a building. We often think it is:
“What are you doing tomorrow?” one person asks.
The response: “It’s Sunday. I’m going to church.”
But really, the church is not a place you go. The church is the people. We are the church. The church is dynamic and is never confined to a building. Church happens in all kinds of ways as the people who follow Jesus seek to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God. Church is one of few communities where we can let our voices rise in song, making a joyful noise whether we can sing the right tune or not. Church is one of few communities where young and old regularly come together in community to learn from one another and lift each other up. Our church is a community that takes risks, like outdoor worship; a community that values fellowship, like the annual church picnic, which will be after worship on Sunday; and a community that honors all people without regard for race, sexual orientation, economic status, gender, or ability.
The living, breathing church is less like the rhyme above and more like the song: “I am the church; you are the church; we are the church together. All who follow Jesus all around the world – yes, we’re the church together.”
You’d better believe we’re singing this song on Sunday!
I hope you will come be the church with us.






