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Describe the Experience of Being Loved

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A Be-Loved Community is a place where everyone  gets loved! In our fourth class, we explored the experience of "being loved."  We passed a Talking Piece and listened carefully as each person shared from their personal experience.  What is it like to be loved?   Here are some of the descriptive words, terms, and messages offered: Trust Respect Comfort(ed) Unconditional Being Heard Being Affirmed Recognized Genuineness Inner Peace Presence Nurtured Encouraged Locates us in our "original goodness" Reminded of who we are when we forget Don't need to prove yourself Embraced fully as you are Engage risk in accepting "Overbearing"--"O, Love That Will Not Let Me Go" Blessedly destabilizes our notions of self-sufficiency We agreed to each write a paragraph for the next class expanding on our discussion.  If our congregation makes an ethical commitment that  e veryone will have the experience of being loved in our faith communit...
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The Community Tending Jesus

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This week we returned to the remarkable story from Luke 7:36-50.  The "woman of the city, who (is) a sinner" is the example of embodied  agape love; she is the caregiver, the one offering Jesus much-needed mercy.    As we noted last week, she offers Jesus hospitality in the Pharisee's house! Jesus is the recipient.  This is wonderfully dis-locating for us, who are used to seeing Jesus as the care-giver, the bestower of mercy, the defining expression of embodied love. But here, he  is the Be -lov ed .  We realize that, in a community of Jesus like St. Andrew's, it is not only essential to "be loving;" it is essential that all of us have the experience of "being loved."  Perhaps that can be part of our mission statement! This led to the acknowledgment that some of us have a very hard time receiving love and care, and are more comfortable offering it.  But receiving love, be-ing loved, is one with our salvation! We were urged--in go...
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Where Will Jesus Find Community?

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One of our group members really liked bell hooks' description of  Beloved Community: "Beloved Community is formed not by the eradication of difference but by its affirmation, by each of us claiming the identities and cultural legacies that shape who we are and how we live in the world." This led us into a rich discussion  about wholeness and inclusion.  Belonging in the Beloved Community, and in the Realm of God, is not about perfection nor is it about conform-ation. In our rich diversity and giftedness, we become more together than we could ever by by ourselves.  We noted that in Jesus Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:48 has frequently been translated, "Therefore,  be perfect  as your Heavenly Father is perfect."  But the term translated "perfect," teleios , really means "completion" or "whole."   Not flawless.  And it comes after the command to "love your enemies" so that "you may be children of your Father in ...
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Notes From Our First (Amazing!) Class

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The New Testament term for "beloved" is agapetos."  It can be understood as meaning "be loved," "esteemed," or "worthy of love." It was noted right away that the term agape  is in it, agape being the "purest love," a "love for someone as they are, seeking nothing in return." The example of Fred Rogers, and what he taught to children about receiving and practicing agape love, was lifted up in appreciation. We said that life in the "Beloved Community," the community of Agape Love: --is not about conformity, or "fitting in." --is non-judgemental  (the course in learning a non-judgemental way of being is concurrent with developing the capacity to listen deeply). --engages different measures of value than the dominant community. -- is where "our job is to love people." -- is where expectation is suspended. --is where love does not require liking. --is where psin is tended. --is w...
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Beloved Community Quotes to Stimulate Your Imagination

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In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.  And a voice came from heaven, 'You are my Son, the Beloved;  with you I am well pleased."  -- Mark 1:9-11 "Beloved Community is formed not by the eradication of difference but by its affirmation, by each of us claiming the identities and cultural legacies that shape who we are and how we live in the world."                 -- bell hooks Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."                 -- Mark 1:14-15 "Our goal is to create a beloved community and that will require a qualitative change in our soul, as we...
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Welcome to the Building the Beloved Community blog!  Here we will post notes, reflections, and insights from our five -week series at St. Andrew's that bears the same name.  There is opportunity after each post to log on and add your own thoughts, questions, and responses. Our key focus questions will include: -- How does Jesus build the "be-loved" community in the midst of the world? -- Who belongs? -- How does God's power work in and through communal life? -- What is the community's character and the depth of its purpose? -- What does all this mean for people in Perkasie and the surrounding area? -- How is God's love shaping the congregation even now, enlivening us all? Join in!
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