It’s Sunday morning and the faithful have gathered. Community is one of the key words here at Hometown Friends Church. This morning the musical style invites comment about the virtue of tolerance. I don’t remember reference to scriptures calling to “bear with one another” when the music is geared to please the older generation.

The pastor, youth minister, and some others from this church recently returned from a mission trip to India. It has an influence on the message about belonging to community. I’m thinking community happens best when people come together with a specific purpose, an important issue, a mission. When community is motivated by personal enjoyment it ends up being anemic.