Accidental Neighbors

Here follows what I would call a seasoned article. It has sat in my computer “writings” for a while - wrote it about two years ago. Upon rereading it several times last couple of days I discovered I cannot ignore it. It’s about a friend of mine - interesting guy. His faith is both unique and ordinary. I am intrigued by his vantage to ‘doing’ things, different than many of us who do things only because of routine or carefully considered and planned for such and such reasons, etc. etc. –  along with budget implications of course!  As neighborliness, churchiness, interfaith and political morality and pandemic recovery is front and center on my mental and spiritual burner these days (yes, my thinker 😐), I offer this little piece as something germinal – perhaps of good use to myself and to those of you who read here.

 

August 27, 2019

 

ACCIDENTAL NEIGHBORS

We were a group of men, all gathered at the home of one of us. Peter is an extraordinary guy, a young retiree who has many involvements including, together with his wheelchair-bound wife, parenting three energetic young adult sons, participating in church life, managing neighborhood activities, etc. 

This was a second meeting which he has felt inspired to call; breakfast at his house. “Why not”, he says, “Costs you 16 or 18 bucks just to sit at a restaurant and talk about nothing.  Here no charge, and you may get to actually talk about … something.”  Good point Peter.  Last time three of us showed up; this time fourteen!  Peter was elated, thanked us repeatedly for coming and occasionally looking at the swelled numbers, “Be careful what you pray for”.  LOL.

At the risk of over-indulging my penchant for theologizing beyond the necessary, one additional thing.  In his openhearted and humble way, Peter tells us that "not all had come." He also had invited his soccer friends. Just a bit more description of those friends revealed they were brown skinned, nicest friendliest guys he has ever met, and if they had come “maybe then he would have backed off on the pork chops.”  Aah, Muslims. Then from comments in the group I interpreted they "wished that they would have come” but from some of the red neck comments I had just listened to during mealtime I’m not quite sure that was genuine. This group of cowboys probably were not of the fully inclusive kind. After all this is Calgary! Had those other visitors joined us we would have told stories and visited well, but probably backed off on religion. 

After the hearty breakfast with lots of mini conversations all around the outdoor table, we enjoyed Peter's short unassuming meditation about Kindness with a few Bible references like Prov 3:5-6; Eph 4:32; and Lk 10:29-35. In short order we were sharing deeply – some even tearfully – about times and places we had kind of screwed up exactly on that point, and yet received grace, forgiveness, personal learning, etc. We were kind to each other, and it was so good.  [Now I confess to one huge oversight. None of us offered to pay for all the eggs, pancakes, coffee, pork chops, etc. Lord have mercy; we shall fix it next time!] 

I am persuaded that right here is the crux of what is especially needed these days among people of faith, be they Albertans, Newfies, Americans, or even immigrants or refugees.  Fellowship is so important – especially the spontaneous variety like this large generous invitation – and also important to invite Samaritans, and even those who attend a different church than I do!?! 😜   This is the new challenge, the new opportunity of the day.

 

Yes, written two years ago. Some things are different by now. At present, as a retired preacher I am honored to represent the Mennonites on Calgary Interfaith Council, fully involved and fully stimulated with Muslims, Mormons, Catholics and Ecumenists and Evangelicals and B’hai and Unitarians of all stripes – all of us regularly grateful for the Indigenous land we are settled upon. Something about Peter’s pre-pandemic breakfasts rates as the best preparation I might have had for this next chapter of life in these world repopulating reacclimatizing faith rebranding days. Joke told at a recent meeting:  After Adam and Eve got removed from garden of Eden, he turned to her, “My dear, we are living in an age of transition.”