AfterWords | Broken for Good
AfterWords is a series of reflections by contributors as they share their personal experience of God in community at The Parish on Sundays.
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A short read
by Bill Stark
Part of what makes The Parish unique for me is that one Sunday a month, we have house church. For that one Sunday, we meet at someone’s home in smaller groups so there is no “big” church that day.
We break bread together.
There’s something about the familiarity of a home, a kitchen and a living room that puts you at ease. In some mysterious way, any walls around our heart tend to fall when we get to know others, especially in a relaxed setting sharing a meal.
At first, it was bit nerve-racking to walk into a stranger’s home, but now I look forward to the community and hearing others’ stories and sharing more openly with them.
Breaking bread reminds me of what Christ did at the Last Supper. It reminds me of how Communion celebrates His broken life for us. He is the bread of life.
House church is similar in that we also become willing to open up and be broken for each other. We let our guard down and become vulnerable, we allow others in, we die to our independence, we die to our natural inwardness, we die to our image of what “church” is.
And we open ourselves up to others… and for others.
Growing in this intimacy in others’ homes is a beautiful way to model dying to self for others. Being open, honest, having fun, being relaxed and inviting others into our lives.
I encourage you to open your heart, to break down any walls, to break bread together in a casual, ordinary, fun way. The conversation, laughter and great food somehow are a wrecking ball to the walls we put up around our hearts, if we give it time.
And what’s standing after the wrecking ball’s work is a beautiful person made in God’s image who shines of God’s love and grace.
Enjoy house church. The people are awesome, the good is really good, and the opening our lives to others is an offering I know God loves.
In the ordinary homes of friends,
We open more so we can mend
And come to know both hearts and lives.
We gather plates, and forks and knives,
We hear about the joys and pains,
We listen close in sun or rain.
As Christ was broken for us all
Let’s break some bread—that is our call.
Want to contribute to AfterWords? From poems to paintings to a child’s drawing in Parish Kids, we welcome voices from those who call the Parish home. To learn more, email info@parishanglican.org
