I love the story of Oregon. The Oregon Territory was a wild country, filled with Indigionous Tribes, Americans, British, Russians, French, and some Spaniards. And for a season, they all had to figure out how they were supposed to share the land west of the continental divide. They had to formulate their shared community despite differences. This story continues on today.
The community of Bend is a unique experiment! In one small area we have people coming in from urban centers, rural communities, foreign countries, and modern-day nomads! We have a wide variety of occupations and experiences, differences in politics and opinions, and where’s the new brewery in town. Bend is no longer the logging town that it used to be. It has become an experience, a place to live, or a temporary home.
One of the details about Bend that I appreciate is the communal nature in how things are designed. More shared office spaces are common, food truck lots, and events bring strangers together. Large parks, for kids and for dogs, are accessible at any part of town. The mountains, lakes, and rivers are easily accessible to adventure together.
Our community is opportunistic in living out a great expectation of our faith: the sharing of life together. The phrase “one another” is explicit throughout Scripture, and gives us the image of how we are to live together. John 13:34, “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another.” Romans 12:10, “Show family affection to one another with brotherly love. Outdo one another in showing honor.” Galatians 6:2, “Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
As great as Bend is, it becomes what people expect it to be: an ideal community. And because we live in this community, our identity as Christians also becomes ideal. Ideal in the sense that it is an imaginable community. As long as we can escape to the mountains, experience a new brewery, or meet new people; we can forget about the hurt in our hearts. Or look past the broken and downhearted in our community. We can become blind to our real community by imagining what we want our community to be.
But if we can grasp our view of Christian Community, then we can see what God wants us to see. We can then view our Community not through the lens of our culture or our individual selves, but see it for what it actually is. Community Life then becomes not an ideal, but a divine reality. Our relationship with our neighbor becomes purposeful and intentional. Our interactions with coworkers or clients become grace-filled and humble. We see the broken and needy as recipients of God’s love, and how the gifts of our hands and talents can serve them.
And this all begins with “one another.” A mutual and inclusive balance of both giving and receiving grace to one another. We become interested in each other’s backgrounds and opinions, learning what makes them unique. The community hubs of Bend transition from being a place to satisfy our individual needs, and becomes a place were we share life with one another.
I love the story of Oregon, and how all of us at some point, moved from previous backgrounds and experiences to share life with one another together. And I love the story God gives His church, His people, in how He designed us to be in relationship with one another. How no one should be lonely, and find a place to call family. May God continue to use us to establish His Community Life wherever we may call home.
