February 11thThe Living, Moving Body of Christ
- by Gordon Driedger
After almost 35 years working as a minister, I am still amazed at the holiness that resides in congregations. While I stumbled along the path of my calling over the years, congregations have continually upheld me with grace, compassion and love. The church has been a place of healing, joy and renewal manifested through the relationships of broken people. It is truly an amazing place.
The church is very much the living moving Body of Christ in our world today.
This has only been reinforced over the last 8 years that I have also worked as a chaplain in the federal prison system. I brought someone to our congregation in Petitcodiac who had been in prison for 30 plus years. I saw him in the back after the service, and his eyes were filled with tears. I asked him if he was okay, and he said that he was not used to being around this many people. The church in Petitcodiac is not that large. When I glanced around the congregation at his statement, he amended it saying, “I am not use to being around this many people who are being kind to me.” There is another inmate, who has been in for almost 40 years, who is not only blessed by our congregation, but is a huge blessing in return. He knows everyone’s name, and comes with such hope and joy, he lifts us all up.
“it feels different here, I feel different here.”
Yet it is not only the experience of the congregation on the outside that reveals the holiness of God. The church on the inside of prison is also a very Holy place. People of all faiths, and no faith, come to the chapel because, as they say, “it feels different here, I feel different here.” They arrive and try, as best they can, to put aside all the differences that divide them when they are in the yard. The most common statement is that they feel normal in the chapel, which is a remarkable statement considering that they feel like they are less in the rest of the prison.
I realize that I am sounding rather sanctimonious, sorry. I think I am reacting to all those who say the church is on the decline. That is not my experience. There is a robust, messy, holiness that meets me in my brokenness, and uplifts and inspires me. The church is very much the living moving Body of Christ in our world today. And it is as desperately needed now as it ever has been.
- Gordon Driedger is pastor at Petitcodiac Mennonite Church in New Brunswick.