In July, we were thinking about service in the context of meeting the practical needs of others: www.oakscc.org.uk/servicepart1
Definition:
Service is the expression of Christ-like love through meeting the practical needs of another.
It’s fair to say that we are all good at this!
But this month we were challenged to go deeper, as we considered service in the context of ‘kinship’…
(Only need to watch from 2 Mins to 20 mins)
At the table with…
Tyler Staton starts and ends this teaching session talking about a young woman called Sarah: She was so struck and challenged by the stories of Jesus eating at the table of ‘sinners’, that she moved into the Bronx, the poorest area of New York. There, she intentionally befriended and shared her life with the type of people that Jesus mixed with.
This is ‘kinship’ – Practising being family, by standing shoulder to shoulder with the marginalised, rather than trying to fix a community from the outside. Sarah’s neighbours became brothers and sisters rather than clients, or a project.
Sarah’s story is powerful and extraordinary! And if I’m really honest, I’m not quite ready to move into my local ‘Bronx’ just yet. But I am thinking differently about my normal daily encounters with others: ‘Marginalised’ doesn’t have to mean those living in extreme circumstances: Anybody can feel lonely or isolated at times, so I’m asking God to make me more open towards my community and perhaps use me in new ways.
Reflect
Who is eating at your table?
