Pastor Kristin Galle with a Minister's Moment

  Since the season is Autumn, most Friday nights find me at a high school football stadium, watching the battles that commence.  Most fans there are actively cheering on the football team and I enjoy a good game, too.  But, I must admit that for me, the high point of the evening is the marching band half time performances.  As a former band member and drum major while I was in high school, a big part of my high school social life was spent at football games and I still love the excitement, the adrenaline and the teamwork that goes into, not only the game on the field, but also the music and cheers!  It is indeed an exciting feeling to be a part of such a large group, united in their common goal of victory!

    United in the quest for victory!  That is one thing our Tuesday morning group is studying.  We’re reading “Jesus’ Prayer from A to Z”.  It takes an in-depth look at the prayer of Jesus for the disciples found in John 17:20-23, where he prays, “Father may they be one in us as you are in me and I am in you so that the world may believe …”

    Jesus prays not only for those disciples listening to him pray, but also for future believers.  That is us.  We are called to witness to others that there is a wonderful, fulfilling unity in God through Jesus Christ, through this Word made flesh. And this message is so exciting, so fulfilling, that we should be excited to share the good news.  The good news of unity and diversity as Jesus prays that we shall all be one.

    There is a prayer here for unity--Jesus prays for us to be united in the word.  The church also celebrates diversity?  How can we balance both unity and diversity-- two concepts that seem to stand in opposition?  How can there be unity in the word?

    As followers of Jesus, we tend to look for uniform ways to talk about God, for after all, aren’t we supposed to be united in the “word”?  How do we become one?  I struggle with this and it disturbs me.  What exactly does it mean to be one?  I tend to be very picky about who I want to “be one” with.  In the hustle and bustle of life, we pick carefully which groups we join, which committees to be on, which friends to have and how much time to be with them, and which church to join.  How can we all be one?

    But then, who is Jesus praying with and for?  His disciples and followers whom he knows quite well. And exactly how unified are they?  We have Peter, quick to jump to the right answers but also quick to deny.

 Then doubting Thomas, skeptical of that which he hasn’t seen.  We have those arguing who will sit at the right hand of Jesus in his glory.  And there are those who worry about finances, and if Jesus should be talking to the Gentiles, or the women or playing with the children.  Yet these are people whom Jesus loved and taught. In spite of all these differences, Jesus says back in vs. 10 “I have been glorified in them.”  In all this diversity, Jesus says, “I have been glorified”.  Wow!  These were not people walking in lockstep.  They sound more like a church--a mixed bag of people with different worries and concerns.  We argue over who’s right and who’s wrong.  So, when Jesus prays that we may all be one it can’t mean uniformity or lack of diversity.  Distinctions and differences should be valued in the Church.  There is room for differences, even differences of opinion.

    Perhaps we should all go back and listen to that high school band.  What a wonderful example of diversity within the beauty of unity.  A band has different instruments with different voices and pitches—a combination of tubas and trumpets, flutes and french-horns—all playing at different pitches, different notes, rhythms and harmonies.  But, when they all come together perfectly, it is a symphony of beautiful, inspiring music that lifts the heart and soul.  Different instruments, different people, different times and they all come together in the music.

Let us remember this in the life of the church.  We have different voices and different opinions, but it is necessary that we all come together to give glory to God.

Thanks be to God,