We just finished the Dwelling Place (our jr/sr high ministry at church), and I rushed to Tim's computer so that I wouldn't forget a moment of what just happened...
Tim spoke about grace, about Jesus' perspective on people stuck in pig slop, about the fact that we really should still be stuck in the pig slop if it weren't for his fantastic grace. After he spoke, we sang a couple of songs about the cross. What happened next is what struck me...
Tim put his guitar in its stand, stepped off the little stage, and picked up some communion trays. He said, "We're going to have communion, but I'd like you to all sit down on the floor and pass the trays to each other. As you pass the bread, I'd like for you to say, 'the body of Christ, broken for you' and as you pass the juice, 'the blood of Christ, shed for you'. [That's not something we typically do in our church, so that's a new thing for most of us.] Once you've had communion, go ahead and stand up and join me in singing some more songs that deal with the cross."
Before Tim can even pass the bread to the first person, we hear, from a 7th grade boy (I'm not going to use their names to protect the innocent, or guilty, whichever the case may be.), "Is that real wine or grape juice?" "Shut up," says his friend, "this is supposed to be a moment!" These boys are not whispering, either. Then, as Tim is just about to start the passing, the 7th grade girl who is first, says, "Can I go spit out my gum?" Tim replies, "sure, anyone else? Anyone else need to go spit out their gum?" and 5 or 6 people head over to the trash can. Tim says, "Hmmm...I didn't exactly plan for that when I was preparing for this." Okay, finally Tim passes the trays to the first girl. He says, "the body of Christ broken for you, the blood of Christ shed for you," and she takes the trays...
...She passes the trays on somewhat awkwardly, not knowing whether to hold the tray while the next girl drinks her juice or just pass it on and let her deal with having her hands full and trying to drink from a little shot glass-sized cup....
...The next girl, also a 7th grader, forgets what to say and starts giggling. All of her friends, somewhat loudly, remind her what she's supposed to say...
...At this point, Tim has started playing his guitar and singing, "My chains are gone, I've been set free..."
...A 7th grade boy in gym shorts walks on his knees over to a 9th grader who recently got some press for playing varsity b-ball and, in his still somewhat squeaky voice, says, "the body of Christ broken for you, the blood of Christ shed for you"...
...the 9th grader and his friend snicker when one of them almost drops the tray...
...a seventh grade girl, with her eyes squeezed shut and her hands in the air, belts out, "My chains are gone, I've been set free, My God my Savior has ransomed me"...
...a whole string of 8th grade boys who I would describe as being in the in-crowd pass the trays along and the last one passes it on to the boy sitting beside him, who is perhaps not always "in", saying, "the body of Christ broken for you, the blood of Christ shed for you"...
...a thirty-something youth sponsor lifts her hands and sings with all of her might, "Why should I gain from His reward? I can not give an answer, but this I know with all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom," and I know from our conversations that this could not be truer...
...I sit at the computer, trying to keep pushing the buttons to make the words display on the screen, while feeling overwhelmed and awed. This could not be a more vivid picture of the body of Christ. I'm sure of it. I am certain that Jesus was here and that he loved it! We remembered His body and His blood tonight and, at the same time, we WERE His body tonight. That's what He wanted us to do. I'm glad I was here in this holy place tonight, smelling of gym shoes and 7th grade girls' body mist. I know Jesus a little better than I did before I came.
