Sat Night with Lower Deer Creek

Saturday night we participated in a young adult/youth gathering sponsored by Lower Deer Creek Mennonite Church, Kalona, Iowa. We were welcomed with hot dogs and lemonade and joined a group of about 25 in worship. After a nice set of music led by folks from Lower Deer Creek I led the group in a short teaching.

My words were influenced by a book I’m reading by Walter Brueggemann, Peace. In his book Brueggemann defines God’s vision for Shalom as “all of creation is one, every creature in community with every other, living in harmony and security toward the joy and wellbeing of every other creature.” I compared this description with that of the Isaiah vision of the lion and the lamb together (Isaiah 11:4-9). Essentially God has a vision for creation. This vision concerns more than our individual lives, but the lives of the community, the collective body of all of God’s creation. And too often that vision is not being acted out, as people of God we are tempted to live for ourselves and not for this collective vision. We value our orderly lives more than we value God’s vision of security and harmony. Of justice and of peace. We take for granted that homes are being foreclosed and families are left homeless. We take for granted that there are people in this country who work 40 hours a week and are not making a living wage. We take for granted that war is assumed to be the only answer for national security in the USA. These things are not normal and they are not part of God’s vision.

In spite of this, if we look and listen there is clear evidence that God is working for peace and for security and for justice and for harmony. And we can all take part of this vision when we chose to build relationships, and to call out things that are not normal and to live our lives with the realization of God’s Kingdom here and now.

We spent time sharing stories of people and communities who opened themselves to God working through them to bring Shalom. They were stories of communities working together, of newly formed relationships between those who disagree, and how working for Shalom is not always an easy thing to do.

Our evening concluded with more music and great fellowship. Thanks Lower Deer Creek!