The Day After...

Monday, 24 October 2005

After a most memorable worship, I returned Monday morning to my tasks in the Iona Community’s shop…about fifty yards from the entrance to the cloisters of the abbey. I hoovered, helped make coffee for our coffee time, and spent the rest of the day serving customers and stocking shelves. Much to my surprise—and on multiple occasions through the day—a customer commented to me: “Are you the priest who celebrated communion yesterday?” After a hesitating moment of oh my, I replied, “yes.”

One instance, these lovely older women responded with delight and then proceeded to share with me that they too were both priests in their working days for the Anglican Church in England. They were delighted to find that young women like me were still accepting the call to serve God in the role of priest. Next, they wondered what I was doing working in a shop. I merely said that I was serving the community as a volunteer and that my community task was to help in the shop. I cannot be too sure what exactly went through their minds at that information, but nonetheless, they blessed me and went on their way.

Another instance which was most memorable—and which still sticks in my mind to this day—was a group of three people, one man and two women. They appeared to be good friends and were in search of special food treats to celebrate the man’s 53^rd birthday on the day following. Again, one of them spoke for the others to inquire whether or not I was the priest who celebrated communion at Sunday’s service. To which again with hesitation and a little blush of my cheeks, I replied humbly, “yes.” Then, each one offered a testimony about how communion that day meant so much to them. The man shared that he had grown up in the church, but drifted away. Thus he hadn’t partaken of communion because he never felt welcome. But yesterday he did. “Thank you for welcoming me and it’s my (first) communion in ## of years, and tomorrow I turn 53.” The woman (presumable his partner) to his right nodded her head in agreement.

The woman with light colored hair to his left responded next, saying that she grew up in a nominally catholic family. She had never really been to church and felt really awkward about this ‘cannibalistic’ sort of communion ritual that Christians did. Celebrating communion was a really strange thing for her. Yet, she felt welcomed in worship and was curious to experience communion. So, she came to the table.

May God grant us each the power of the Holy Spirit to extend the hospitality of the Kingdom of God in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

PS. This photo is of the women I worked with in the shop: (L-R) Nelleke, Maj-Len, and Marna (in front). {Colleen, recognize the jersey?...Thanks!}