www.blog.therefugeonline.org

Com-mu-ni-ty [kuh-myoo-ni-tee]
1. A group of people who reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.
2. A locality inhabited by such a group.
3. A social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests.

When I decided to try to write a bit on the theme of community, I thought the piece might best be served by first looking at the ‘According to Hoyle’ (or in this case Webster’s) definition of the word.

What I discovered was that the dictionary, though accurate in its description, omits the more applicable meaning(s) of the word.

Unless we’ve resided in a closet, we have all lived in some form of community for all of our lives. I am no exception to this, but not until very recently did I begin to see an expanded view of the word.

This revelation, or realization if you prefer, came only after I got involved within The Refuge community. With this in mind I will begin my list: Expanded Definitions of Community.

1. Community is becoming involved.
2. Community is letting oneself be known.
3. Community is listening.
4. Community is reaching out.
5. Community is loving others.
6. Community is letting others love you.
7. Community is doing life together.
8. Community is lending a shoulder.
9. Community is a sympathetic ear.
10. Community is caring.
11. Community is prayer.
12. Community is letting others vent, even if you don’t agree with them.
13. Community is venting, even when others don’t agree with you.
14. Community is friendship.
15. Community is honesty.
16. Community is forgiveness.
17. Community is sharing.
18. Community is gathering.
19. Community is going out on a limb.
20. Community is writing a blog entry, even when you are insecure and worried what others may think of it.
21. Community is family.

This is the Reader’s Digest version of my list. It is in no particular order and (pardon the oxymoron) wholly incomplete. I’m sure that I could add more to it, and confident that you could add many entries to it as well.

I am happy to be part of this community, sharing not only the ‘according to Hoyle’ definition with you, but also my expanded view you have allowed me to express.

I love you all, those whom I have come to know well, and those I hope to know better. There is no other place on earth I would rather reside in that in our “little church” community, which I have found to be plenty large enough to grow.

With apologies to Charles Dickens, “May God bless us, every one.”
Thanks for letting me share, Steve