Eldon

I worship with Lutheran Campus Ministries at the CMC, or "the little blue building behind the music building/ Cline library" up in Flagstaff, AZ. Over the breaks we have very intimate worship services since a lot of people leave town. I think we had about 11 at service last night?!

To get a visual going for you, the 11 of us sat in a circle for worship. The only time the circle was broken was when I went to the piano to sing/play. In the circle was a homeless man, the pastor and her husband and kids, a guy from Germany, 3 students, an alum and myself.

This Sunday to me wasn't necessarilly about the sermon. It wasn't really about the music (which for me can be the part I resonate with the most). It was about the people, mostly about the homeless man...

His name is Eldon. Now I'm probably making this way more of a deal than it should be, but it was really beautiful to me. Eldon sat next to me. We held hands for prayers. He got up to fix the fan for us, got up to make sure the napkin covering the bread wouldn't fly away, got up to close the blinds because the sun was in peoples eyes, all without anyone asking him to. Then during prayer, he got down on his knees and leaned over the chair, and someone else had their hands uplifted, some folded their hands, some closed their eyes, some kept them open... I thought that image was beautiful to me, all these different people gathered together in one intimate group...

Back to Eldon. After service we dined together, then the kids wanted to play kick ball! So we were playing, and Eldon joined in! And it was an absolute blast...


What an image of community?! One that is diverse, one that prays together, dines together, crys together, laughs together and plays together. One full of enthusiasm, joy, love, sympathy, compassion... All of this was shown to me, mostly through Eldon, but also through that intimate group on Sunday. What a marvelous gift...


I think it is so beautiful that our community this Sunday (and I guess last Sunday) included Eldon. He was a delight. We didn't turn him away like I've known other communities to do for fear of something bad happening, which can definately be justified...

My prayer for our community is that we continue to grow as a people of love and compassion, and to spread that to others within and outside of the community. I am thankful for the image I was given, for the community I was able to be in, the tears of joy and sorrow I could shed, and for a safe place to go and be loved and accepted as I am... a broken loving follower...