Here the church, the community...
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Here the church, the community of faith, is emphasized. The community of faith is in itself a demonstration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Here new life is at work as individuals lose themselves in service for the community. People are concerned for the needs of others. They share with one another. They have support from the community of faith in the matter of burden bearing.
Dr. F. Eppling Reinartz, the late President of the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, South Carolina, used to say that people would often speak to him about their church. They would point out to him how they had a tireless pastor or an outstanding preacher; they would point to their new impressive facilities; in some instances they liked to brag about the fact that they had the largest budget in the church's history and it was being over paid. But Dr. Reinartz said that the most moving word he ever heard said about the church came from an elderly lady who told him, "I love this church. For when a person joins it, from that moment on they never have to bear another burden alone."
Dr. F. Eppling Reinartz, the late President of the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, South Carolina, used to say that people would often speak to him about their church. They would point out to him how they had a tireless pastor or an outstanding preacher; they would point to their new impressive facilities; in some instances they liked to brag about the fact that they had the largest budget in the church's history and it was being over paid. But Dr. Reinartz said that the most moving word he ever heard said about the church came from an elderly lady who told him, "I love this church. For when a person joins it, from that moment on they never have to bear another burden alone."
