Pastor Clayton ~ June

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:24-25

As the cowboy runs around, frantically searching for his hat, it’s clear to those around him that his stress levels are at an all-time high. In an attempt to help him calm down and breathe easy, his best friend walks over, puts his arm around his shoulder, and says to him, “Don’t worry, Woody. In just a few hours you’ll be sitting around a campfire with Andy making delicious hot sch’moes.” The cowboy replies, “They’re called s’mores, Buzz.”

This scene, from the opening of Pixar’s Toy Story 2, gives us some clear insight into these two characters. Woody (the cowboy doll) is worried that his owner Andy isn’t going to like him anymore because he is missing his all important cowboy hat. Buzz (the space ranger toy) knows the truth though. Buzz knows that Andy’s love for Woody doesn’t depend on some hat. He knows that despite this missing piece, Andy still loves Woody and will bring him on the camping trip to sit around the fire together. Woody couldn’t see that though. He needed someone else to remind him of it.

While this scene gives us insight into the relationship between Woody, Buzz, and their owner Andy, I think it is also a helpful image of our relationship together as the Church. This short scene helps portray one of the reasons why God brings us into a community. It shows us one of the reasons God brings us together, not just with Him, but with fellow Christians. This scene helps highlight something that Dietrich Bonhoeffer says about our life together.

Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor who lived and served in Germany during World War 2. One of his writings, Life Together, is about how we live together as a community of Christians. While talking about why God brings us together, he writes this, “[The Christian] needs his brother solely because of Jesus Christ. The Christ in his own heart is weaker than the Christ in the word of his brother; his own heart is uncertain, his brother’s is sure.”

So why does God bring us into a community with other believers? Well, at least one reason is because sometimes we can be like Woody. Sometimes we can get so caught up in the stress, worries, and fear of life that we forget reality. We forget that God is with us and that His love for us has not changed. God brings us into this community so that when we’re like Woody, others can be like Buzz, sharing the truth with us about God. And then, when others are worried and fearful, we can come to them to give them assurance in Christ and His care.

That’s one of the reasons we gather together, not just on Sundays, but throughout the week. That’s also one of the reasons that the Youth Group keeps meeting in the summer. We’ll be gathering around campfires, having delicious hot s’mores, playing games together, and hearing God’s Word. Our first Youth campfire will be at the Mission Center on June 10th, from 7:00-9:00 PM. I hope your children can join us, even if they’re missing their hat.