Are we a community or collection of individuals?

A day at the beach, summer 2016

            The folks in my neighbourhood have often described this as a 'dog friendly community'. Which is great, as I have 2 big dogs who like to walk - a lot!

            Lately, however, I've had a bit of a challenge when we walk: an increasing number of neighbours are choosing to keep their dogs off-leash. When that happens it inhibits my opportunity to walk wherever the leash-less dogs are. (Some have charged and chased, in the extreme a neighbour's dog was attacked while in her own yard, etc.) It's a problem: I should not have to stop my walk or change my route out of fear of these loose animals.

            I am not shy about asking the correlated humans to leash their dogs. And, if this truly were a dog-friendly community, the dogs would be immediately restrained.

            Unfortunately, many responses lately has been negative. "Why should I?" and "Oh *dog's name* is fine" have become common replies. It's disheartening, as it shows disrespect and disregard for everyone else. Contravention of by-laws notwithstanding, this shows that some people are only concerned with their own preference, rather than with the safety and order of others in the neighbourhood.

            Put another way: individualism trumps community.

            Obviously, this is not the case with everyone; but it's prevalent enough to recognize a trend. I think it sad that some people think about themselves as the be-all and end-all of any and every circumstance. Yet this mindset seems to be permeating all aspects of society.

            The church is not exempt: if we are not careful, we can end up being a group of folks who are seeking only to be self-satisfied: "The church isn't meeting my needs" is a common criticism. Yet, if we're open and honest in our self-reflection, that's not what the purpose of church is meant to be. Church is not about what we can personally attain; it's about how we can come together and contribute to the world.

            We are called to be "a communion of subjects, not a collection of objects" (as Thomas Berry states in "Evening Thoughts", p. 17). We are intended to be the body of Christ (as Paul writes in 1Cor 12 and Eph 4). As such, we are called to act in ways that will be of benefit to the greater community, to continue to build up the whole body of Christ, not just ourselves. To do this we must maintain and celebrate the ways in which we can be community, looking out for the welfare of others and trusting that they will look out for the welfare of us. We may not always get our own way, but when the community improves, we all improve.

            So from leashing a dog to praying for one another to engaging in justice ministries to *enter your activity here*, let us intentionally be the collective church: a community of Christ-followers, loving and serving God through service to the world.