Field Notes: Maybe We Will

I am a low church sort of soul.

I mean this to say that while I plan, I tend to leave space for something to happen.

I welcome the unexpected and hope for the holy to break through when She wants to.

I don’t want a faith contained in systematic theology, confined to a building, or limited to one hour on Sunday morning.

I want a faith that is free to move around and rub elbows with me and others. I want a faith that isn’t lofty or abstract, but tangible.

What I really mean is that I want to be able to taste it.

This Sunday I had options.

Since the start of October, the faith community I serve has taken communion every Sunday.

This isn’t typically for us. We are a once-a-month kind of crowd.

It’s been good but unfamiliar.

The first week, we passed the elements. The next week, we asked folks to come forward.

Last week I made bread in a Dutch oven at home. I made the dough and watched it to rise like gas prices overnight. The next morning I punched it down and baked it in the closest thing to hellfire I feel comfortable dealing with on a Sunday morning.

This week I had some ripe bananas staring at me. So I made banana bread.

But I couldn’t stop there. I know everyone isn’t a fan.

So I made biscuits and tore them apart.

I placed them on a communion plate a congregant made and added the gluten-free option I know a couple of members need.

Looking at the assortment, I thought, maybe the Lord’s Supper ought to have something for everybody.

Ours did.

People came forward, they took what they felt led to, and everyone was fed.

As we began to sing the closing hymn, a warm face leaned over to me and said, “We should have banana bread every week!”

Maybe we will. See less