The Jesus-Bond in SW Portland
By Wayne Williams --
I have been fortunate over the years to have visited several other countries and to have had the opportunity to worship with Christians of different languages, cultures, traditions, and practices. Whether it was a congregation in the Philippines, Spain, Jordan, South Africa, Tajikistan, or on a South Pacific island, I never failed to sense a strong bond of connection with the Christians there. In spite of not knowing the language or understanding the customs, we were family. They were grateful for what Jesus had done for them, as was I, and they were committed to following him, as was I. Perhaps because I was a ‘stranger’ in those congregations, I felt the bond of Jesus between us more powerfully than I do here, in my own familiar surroundings.
Although they are not of a different culture or language, there are churches in our SW Portland neighborhood who have different histories, traditions, and practices but who are also grateful for what Jesus has done for them, as are we, and are also committed to following him, as are we. For the last few years, we have been cultivating a relationship with three of those churches, Missio, Riversgate, and Multnomah Presbyterian. Perhaps that fellowship will grow to include other SW churches in the days ahead.
We have given the name, “SW Church (singular) Together,” to this growing fellowship to emphasize our oneness in Jesus. The hope of the leadership of we four churches is that we can better represent and present him to the people of SW Portland if we work together, cooperate rather than compete. It is also our hope that we will all gain a stronger sense of that bond of connection, that sense of family that extends beyond the walls of our buildings, that awareness that all of us Jesus-followers are in the same kingdom and serving the same King. It can be just as powerful here as it is when we are in another country.
We have an opportunity next month to experience that bond. On Sunday morning, October 13, the four churches will meet together in our building at 10:30am to worship our King together. We will be led in worship by a combined worship team, the pastors of the four churches will each have a part, we will hear a Jesus-centered message from the Bible, and there will be ample time following the worship to meet some brothers and sisters that you didn’t even know you had. I hope you will look forward to that as much as I do.