What is Church?

I have been asking myself this question lately. Moving to a new city I did the "Good Christian" thing and looked for a new church that I could call home. While I found one that "worked" and got the job done for awhile, I could never shake the feeling of wanting more. Even though it never felt right, I kept going because I know that's what I am 'supposed' to do. I kept going until I moved to the other side of town (well... techinically I guess it was a totally different town) and decided it was too far to go for church. I don't think we are supposed to commute for church, but what do I know...

Anyway... back to my original thought... What is church? How does it work and how do you know when one is being done 'right'? Having taken a hiadous from church for a little while (I go to one BIG church occassionally... I went on Easter and I go sometimes when my students want to go), I have been really trying figure out what I want church to look like for me. I know it is different for everyone but here is what I think church is...

• Church is a big family. 
• Church is a community of people who love each other unconditionally 
• Church is a place lacking in barriers. 
• Church is a place where people are not looked down on because of their age, race, gender, or anything else.
• Church is done during the week in the interactions with those around us. 
• Church, the location and service, is merely a gathering and an opportunity to worship.
• Church isn't just a place or a service but the people who go out into the community and demonstrate Christ's love in their actions.

This is what I want in a church. This is what I am searching for. I have yet to find a church like this in Sacramento, but I am hopeful that I will find one soon. Wish me luck.

Major Acts of Love

A few months ago I was sitting by the pool with some friends, checking 'The Book' (i.e. facebook... its something I'm trying out...), when I saw a status that took my breath away. An old high school teacher, Mr. Prewitt had passed away. After some searching I soon found out that he had been hit by a driver who was under the influence of Xanax while he was out on his morning run. While I never had Mr. Prewitt as I teacher I remembered him very well from my high school days. He always had a smile on his face and I knew many people who considered him one of their favorite teachers. 

Reading all of the posts and comments that followed in the next couple of months I started to evaluate my life as a teacher. We teachers have the potential to have a tremendous impact on our students, for the good or even for the bad. Reading the posts and seeing the impact that Mr. Prewitt's life and now death has had on this community is an inspiration to me. I have always wanted to reach students on a personal level. I desire to teach them more than trig and calculus, but to teach them about life and how to love. There were definitely times this last year when I was tired and frustrated with students, parents, coworkers, or whatever it was when I think that I lost sight of what it is all about. There were moments when I definitely didn't love my students and even more times when I didn't love the people around me.I admit it. I am human and I fall short. But I hope and pray that I succeed more than I fail. I hope that one day students can look back on their high school career and remember that teacher who showed them how to live a life of love. 

If seeing this impact that Mr. Prewitt's life and death has had on the community wasn't enough, his family has carried on his legacy in their reaction to the incident. In a complete act of love and forgiveness, Mr. Prewitt's sister, wife, and close friend all spoke in the sentencing hearing expressing their forgiveness and compassion towards the defendent. The lawyer who defended the woman said, "This act of mercy was delivered with love and a sincere desire for Ms. Chappell to know that they harbored no anger toward her, and that they want the best for her and her family. All of them spoke of their strong belief in God, letting us know that Mr. Prewitt held the same belief. If he were alive, they said, he would want his friends and family to forgive CHante - they did, one by one - offering their grace and mercy." Several people in the courtroom were brought to tears. During a recess, Mrs. Prewitt even embraced the defendent telling her that she needed to forgive herself. What an incredible legacy for their family to leave behind. The lawyer even dais, "The act of extending God's grace to another human being instantaneously affected all those present. I will remember this day as one of the most powerful experiences I have witnessed in a courtroom or anywhere else."

Even though I never had Mr. Prewitt as a teacher, I am inspired by his story and the legacy he has left behind through his family and the students he touched. "Thanks to his family and friends, I know what type of man he was. Even in death, through his family and their supporters, Mr. Prewitt continues to teach many people an incredible lesson." I hope that I can continue to teach valuable lessons to my students even when I am gone.

(For the full article and account of what happened in the courtroom from the lawyer who defended Mr. Prewitts killer, please read this article.)