I Am Not “The Church”
I Am Not “The Church”
I am not “the church”
Looking down my nose
At the cheese on the potluck dish.
I am not “the church”
Hands raised in collective vote
Excluding those in need
I am not “the church”
Venom dripping like maple syrup
Sharing news of yet another pastoral transition
I am not “the church”
Casting arrows of orders at helpless
Ministers of education and pastoral care
No
I am not “that church”
Albeit Adventist in name
Yet, institutional in practice
No — instead…
I am a member of a community in need
Of love and acceptance
Of collective conscience that speaks
On behalf of the voiceless, helpless, and searching
For I have found
Rest in His seventh day,
Hope in His second coming
Forgiveness in His Blood
Restoration in His sanctuary
And so, I seek to share,
The good news of my treasure
To my community in need
For I am called
Not as a slave to an institution
But to serve Him
Who first loved me
Rebekah Helbley is a wife, mother, and school principal living in Marietta, Georgia. She finds great joy seeing her students flourish in faith and learning.
Photo by Isaac Ordaz on Unsplash
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