This Sunday, Judy took on the task of considering the values of non-conformity and simplicity. We were left contemplating what it means to be a little weird, to not conform to the patterns of this age, to not give into the patterns of domination, violence, greed, and exploitation.

“Does that mean ‘my’ interpretations don’t matter?” No! Not at all! We should, however, be trying to always read better and understand our own limits. But also, honestly, if you come from a particularly dominant group of intersectionality your interpretations in all reality have already mattered too much for a long time. Sometimes when we think we compare interpretations with equal voice, those with the most power do not understand how their readings of Scripture are simply given normative and objective status, holding interpretive sway over all other voices that then must struggle to contend an be heard among those interpretations.

How we use our money ties to our core values. Jesus had a lot to say about money—how we horde money, how we exploit others with money, how we view the world out of scarcity, how we should seek economic justice, and how we should live in a community that cares for each other with money, with mutual aid in a way that cares for others as ourselves (and that's just some of it!). Looking at Deut 26:1-15, Rob encouraged us to develop a posture of gratitude, a gratitude that we can have together.

We are the body. We all are gifted. We have all been called and empowered, and as the body of Christ, no one part of the body dominates another. We may have many giftings, but they come from One Spirit. Our giftings all find their source in that One Spirit, as does our body, and our giftings only find their purpose within that one, non-hierarchical body.

This week, we talked a little bit about baptism, and we had a chance to touch on some reasons why Anabaptists rejected infant baptism, how baptism functioned as a means of cultural imposition (and even domination), Dorothy Day and the idea of the mystical body, and our being as new creation walking in newness of life.

This week we celebrated PMC’s 31st birthday! We had a picnic, there was bocce, and we had an opportunity to talk about our community as a family. Included this week are three different reflections. Lisa Muthiah and Margie Cameron both offered their own stories and reflections on what it means for them for PMC to be a family. Then we had the opportunity to reflect on Mark 3:19b-21, 31-35.

By coming to the table, each member of the community is expressing her or his commitment to all other members of the community. And we celebrate the unity that we have together. We are testifying together that we are the body of Christ. The name communion represents this, this communion or shared life that we have together.

Pentecost has arrived right in the middle of our Anabaptist Values series, which is perfect because the Holy Spirit was such an integral part of the life and faith of the early Anabaptists. Our reading for this Sunday focused on the beginning of the Pentecost event (Acts 2:1-21), and we discussed how the Holy Spirit invades from heaven, enabling and empowering a community, an other community.

There was a certain anarchy to this. Anabaptists had a high suspicion of hierarchic power structures, the economic practices of the world, and the violent means used to enforce these. Most Anabaptists, thus, never sought to enforce their own cultural expression, no matter how just they thought it was, but strove to be a prophetic counter-cultural political space that calls the “kingdoms of the world” to account for their own injustices.

The phrase “Jesus saves” can come with a lot of baggage, and for many it could signal an overly individualistic and restricted spiritual, inner reality. In fact, we are probably all too familiar with John 3:16 sign waving, and you may have been turned off by a street preacher or two telling you to believe right and get saved to avoid hell. However, what we find in the Bible and with Jesus is something more involved than just right belief and getting to heaven.