“The Joy of One Body, Many Hands” - 10/20/25

Last week at Vincent…
Was there the Vincent Bazaar that gathered many hearts and hands into joyful service. Tables were filled, laughter rang through our shared spaces, and missional purpose pulsed through every effort. It was more than an event—it was a glimpse of God’s kingdom breaking in. Alongside this, the Worship Team met after worship service to prepare the shape and soul of upcoming seasonal events and services. Again, we witnessed how the Spirit moves among us, not as solitary flames, but as a shared fire, each person bringing light and warmth.

Scripture
"From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."
— Ephesians 4:16 (NIV)

Reflection
There is a mystery in the way Christ holds the body together. The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, envisions a community woven with sacred intentionality. Each ligament, each person, each act of service—no matter how small—contributes to the growing body of love. We are not held together by productivity or performance, but by love that is lived out in togetherness.

During the Bazaar, the ordinary became holy. Serving the long line of people with warm caramel rolls, the hands of Vincent youth crafting lattes, the welcome at the door—each was a liturgy. Even in the quiet corners, in the sorting and sweeping, the Spirit moved. And around the Worship Team table, plans were not merely made but discerned, as hearts leaned in to listen to what God might be shaping among us.

This is the beauty of the body of Christ: that no one part stands alone. Even hidden efforts, unnoticed by human eyes, are honored in the light of community. God sees every unseen act of faithfulness and threads it into the larger story of grace.

In a world that often values the big and visible, the church reminds us that the kingdom comes in small, shared acts. The Bazaar was not simply a fundraiser; it was a place of belonging. The Worship Team does not just organize services; they cultivate sacred space. And in each of these, God is quietly, steadily building us up in love.

What if we approached every gathering, every meeting, every shared task with this sacred imagination? What if we believed that each gesture of cooperation is a liturgical offering, each shared responsibility a spiritual song?

Even when tensions arise, or when exhaustion sets in, we are called not to retreat into isolation, but to lean into the body. For in the leaning, we find the sustaining grace of Christ. The body grows not in perfection but in mutual support. We are joined together by a love that does not let go.

As we reflect on these days of service and preparation, may we carry forward not only the memory, but the movement—a holy rhythm of working, worshiping, and walking together. Let the joy of shared purpose linger in our spirits. Let the body continue to build itself up, one loving act at a time.


Prayer
"Gracious God, who knits us together in love, thank you for the joy of community. In every shared task and tender effort, we glimpse your heart. Help us to cherish one another, to serve with gladness, and to build your body in love. May our hands be extensions of your grace, our meetings moments of sacred discernment. Knit us ever closer in your Spirit. Amen."