Early on, there was a road trip to Melbourne for a music and worship workshop weekend. Over the years there has been affirmation and encouragement in the various ways we offer our gifts to the community - my ordination, her stepping back for a season - conversations of openness and friendship. Now, she is a champion for me as a ministry project for our community of faith, encouraging their support for one of their own, gathering them around me so that I am not alone.
Friendship with a community of faith includes the specific and particular friendships between individual members. This one has ebbed and flowed, as friendships do; in this moment, I am glad to remember and give thanks for the collective friendship with Blackwood Uniting Church, and with its individual members.
3 comments:
Whole, and healed, together. :-)
Thank you Sarah. I think genuine friendship is much undervalued, with too much emphasis on romantic/partner relationships. Friendship with a group of people, like a congregation, is another good and life-giving relationship to encourage and nurture, something I hadn't considered before.
Sarah, your friendship and generous sharing of your gifts is indeed precious. I often cite the wonders of technology (when so many denigrate it) using your friendship (and Heather's)that support and encourage me in ways that I would not have imagined.)
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