Confession & Hope for Community

The following piece was a writing assignment for one of my classes this semester called "Essential Community." We were instructed to think & write for 15 minutes about our 'confession and hope for community.' I thought I would share my writings with you. Enjoy.

Community has always been a gathering of people who get along, who are like-minded. If difference arises, eventually one or both parties will check out and escape to more like-minded groups. It has been a place of trite, surface conversation, where no one really knows anyone and "how are you?" means "hello." Community has been just connected enough to talk about the struggles of those close to you, but not connected enough to talk about your own struggles. My confession is that community has never had anything to do with confession, because that would be far too intimate, risky, and vulnerable.

I would hope more for community. I would hope it to be people who really know each other, who share life, who share things, who share food, who share space, who share tears, who share trials and tribulations, who share joys and celebrations. I would hope it to be ongoing and lasting, not temporary and situational. I would hope it to be full of diversity, where regardless of difference, people can set aside that which divides and sing and dance and laugh and cry and eat and drink and live and love. I need that. The world needs that.