THE VILLIAGE ILWIDIOT
By Walt Wiltschek
“So the Lord's promise came true, just as the prophet had said: ‘A virgin will have a baby boy, and he will be called Immanuel,’ which means ‘God is with us.’” —Matt. 1:22-23, CEV
At the Church of the Brethren National Youth Conference held in Colorado this past summer, youth were asked in their small groups to name things that they appreciated about their congregations.
A variety of responses came back, dozens of them in all. What struck me in looking over the list was how many of those responses included some variation of “community.” Some youth specifically named that word, while others said things like “never feeling like an outsider,” “unfaltering support," “welcoming,” “it feels like a family,” “accepting,” “tightly knit,” “how close we are,” and, my personal favorite, “a big group of loving people.”
That shouldn’t surprise us, as study after study has reported that things like acceptance and belonging are key needs in adolescent development—and probably significant needs for most people, really. In the church, we often focus on belief and behavior, but many have noted that people won’t be willing to take those steps until they feel that they belong, that they are welcome and “at home.”
In the Gospel of Matthew, we are reminded that Jesus’ arrival among us at Christmas was indeed “Immanuel (or Emmanuel),” Hebrew for “God with us.” In the Gospel of John, it poetically expresses that concept by saying, “The Word became flesh and lived among us” (1:14a).
For the people of ancient Palestine some two millennia ago, that sense of “God with us” was a living reality. For those of us all these years later, Jesus continues to dwell in our hearts and God moves in our midst, but it’s less tangible. It’s up to all of us who claim to follow Christ to continue “putting flesh” on that holy wonder through our work and witness.
Those youth who lifted up things like support, love, and welcome have experienced what it is like to have “God with us,” often because of caring, giving, encouraging, compassionate people in their congregations. How many more youth and others out there might be seeking the same?
In this Advent and Christmas season, let’s celebrate that amazing gift of God’s presence with us, both in Bethlehem and now. But let’s also be attentive to all those still plaintively singing, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” in their souls today, aching and searching for that sense of divine accompaniment in their lives—made real, perhaps, through a simple act of true community.
District executive schedule: In addition to regular meetings, Walt will be worshiping and meeting with Chicago First Dec. 11, attending a retreat at Camp Emmaus Dec. 16-17, preaching/meeting with search committee at Dixon Dec. 18, and attending/traveling to the Council of District Executives winter meetings in Florida Jan. 6-12. Walt will be away on vacation for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays Dec. 22-Jan. 2.
“So the Lord's promise came true, just as the prophet had said: ‘A virgin will have a baby boy, and he will be called Immanuel,’ which means ‘God is with us.’” —Matt. 1:22-23, CEV
At the Church of the Brethren National Youth Conference held in Colorado this past summer, youth were asked in their small groups to name things that they appreciated about their congregations.
A variety of responses came back, dozens of them in all. What struck me in looking over the list was how many of those responses included some variation of “community.” Some youth specifically named that word, while others said things like “never feeling like an outsider,” “unfaltering support," “welcoming,” “it feels like a family,” “accepting,” “tightly knit,” “how close we are,” and, my personal favorite, “a big group of loving people.”
That shouldn’t surprise us, as study after study has reported that things like acceptance and belonging are key needs in adolescent development—and probably significant needs for most people, really. In the church, we often focus on belief and behavior, but many have noted that people won’t be willing to take those steps until they feel that they belong, that they are welcome and “at home.”
In the Gospel of Matthew, we are reminded that Jesus’ arrival among us at Christmas was indeed “Immanuel (or Emmanuel),” Hebrew for “God with us.” In the Gospel of John, it poetically expresses that concept by saying, “The Word became flesh and lived among us” (1:14a).
For the people of ancient Palestine some two millennia ago, that sense of “God with us” was a living reality. For those of us all these years later, Jesus continues to dwell in our hearts and God moves in our midst, but it’s less tangible. It’s up to all of us who claim to follow Christ to continue “putting flesh” on that holy wonder through our work and witness.
Those youth who lifted up things like support, love, and welcome have experienced what it is like to have “God with us,” often because of caring, giving, encouraging, compassionate people in their congregations. How many more youth and others out there might be seeking the same?
In this Advent and Christmas season, let’s celebrate that amazing gift of God’s presence with us, both in Bethlehem and now. But let’s also be attentive to all those still plaintively singing, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” in their souls today, aching and searching for that sense of divine accompaniment in their lives—made real, perhaps, through a simple act of true community.
District executive schedule: In addition to regular meetings, Walt will be worshiping and meeting with Chicago First Dec. 11, attending a retreat at Camp Emmaus Dec. 16-17, preaching/meeting with search committee at Dixon Dec. 18, and attending/traveling to the Council of District Executives winter meetings in Florida Jan. 6-12. Walt will be away on vacation for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays Dec. 22-Jan. 2.
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