That They May Be One

This past Sunday we heard part of Jesus’ so-called “high priestly prayer,” right before his betrayal and arrest, including his heartfelt desire “that they may be one”—meaning his disciples and all of us who have come after them—“just as we are one”—the Father and the Son, and we presume, the Holy Spirit.

Asking for one-ness—and he clarifies, making us “completely one,” seems like a tall order even for the creator and redeemer of the entire universe. But there it is, among Jesus’ last words during his earthly ministry, at least according to John’s Gospel.

For as long as anyone can remember, Joy has had two basically identical worship services on Sunday mornings. Each service has had its own “regulars” and its unique flavor in spite of their apparent sameness on paper.

In my time among you, 11am has been the service with more visitors and guests, while 8:30 has been nearly twice as big, and also the service that people tended to join if they formally became members.

And every summer we’d reflect a little bit of “one-ness” by coming together between Memorial Day and Labor Day on Sundays at 9:30am. Over the last two years, we joined together as one service on Zoom, then slowly came back together in person, and now we’re broadcasting on Facebook and archiving to YouTube—when it all works!

We tried two services again over the last seven weeks. Easter was great! But at least one service each week since has been pretty dismal. It stretched our volunteers. It often didn’t feel like a “critical mass.”

There’s a lot to mourn if Joy has finally become a single Sunday service congregation. But maybe, just maybe, joining as one at 9:30 every Sunday morning can be a small sign of the one-ness that Jesus deeply desired for all his followers.

Pastor Jon