One of my former pastors was fond of reminding us that “there is no such thing as an individual Christian.” While he could have been speaking about the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit and how we are never abandoned by God, I believe he was suggesting that Christians and Christianity, as a faith, are communal. We do church together. There is something significant to the congregating we do as congregations. It is suggestive of who we are and who we are in Jesus Christ. It is something that flows from the self-identity of the Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - who is in community with God’s very self.
Creating this community is not our default action. We have to work at it and strive to live into it. In my time serving Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery, I have challenged you to think differently about community. We are not siloed churches only concerned with what is happening in our corner of Christendom or Oklahoma. We are not the manifestations of the edicts of the Book of Order out in the world. We are the body Christ spread out across this state, nation, and globe. We are the Presbyterian and Reformed expression of that church in communities that may be desperate to hear that good news. We are not individual churches or individual Christians, but the connected and interconnected church that truly is better together than we are apart.
The recent Summer Presbytery Meeting of Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery in Broken Bow, Oklahoma on August 20 was an expression of that connection. While Tulsa is home to a significant portion of the presbytery, we are mindful that Tulsa is not the presbytery. The presbytery is larger and more diverse than Tulsa. It is one of the reasons that we rotate the presbytery meetings through the presbytery. Before we went to Broken Bow, we were in Miami in 2023. EOP will go to Bartlesville in 2025. The meeting itinerates for another reason – so we can experience the ministry context of our siblings in this presbytery. This was especially true for this meeting. Sixteen people toured some of our Choctaw Presbyterian Churches on Monday evening before the Tuesday meeting. Twenty people who arrived early for the presbytery meeting enjoyed dinner together at a local Broken Bow Mexican restaurant. The Tuesday meeting was gifted by the singing of two Choctaw choirs. First Presbyterian Church of Broken Bow was a gracious host. As we met in their sanctuary and gathered in their fellowship hall, we heard about their ministry to the community and experienced the hospitality they show towards their neighbors. As a presbytery, we worshipped together and celebrated significant ordination anniversary milestones as the Pastoral Care Committee gave Frankhoma Pottery mugs to pastors celebrating 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60 years in ministry.
Community does not happen by accident. It is the product of intentionality and action. The Pastor’s Lunches, the Thursday Book Club gatherings, the training events, retreats, coffee or lunch with colleagues, and even the committee meetings are activities and opportunities for us to be the church together. How are you living into the community nature of the church? How could you do more?
Rev. Tim Blodgett
General Presbyter
Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery
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