of wine, song and laughter...

Gathered around a bountiful feast of seafood, bread, wine, beer and music I experienced a closeness, and welcoming filled with God's grace, love and peace.  We were invited to a gathering on this evening by folks we met recently while visiting a new church.  We drank, we ate, we talked, we sang, we laughed and we prayed.  I can't put it all into words, but I found something I have longed for and searched for over these past months.  We hoped to find a community  who  love God and each other, without pretense or conditions . . . just ordinary people, living ordinary lives doing extraordinary things.
   
We were welcomed into this community unconditionally and so it is not surprising to me that this community of people and their church is growing.   Sharing common values, and an infectious enthusiasm for Jesus, these people are very different, they are accepting and understand what it means to be the Body of Christ.  There is no false piety here!  With a beer in one hand, and making the sign of the cross with the other, we sang, we prayed and we celebrated!  Here in the midst of this faithful community, I discovered an openness and sense of purpose among these disciples unlike any other.  Their Christ-like love emanates from their warm, welcoming, and outstreatched arms that on this same night embraced a same sex couple!  Thanks be to God for His Mercy, Grace and Peace!