Yesterday the Pekin community lost a high school boy to an apparent suicide. Pastor Jim McClarey and youth from his church will be joining us on a mission trip in a couple weeks. The boy was not in his youth group, but many of the youth going, were friends with the boy they lost and he asked for our prayers.
Pastor Jim sent another email following a candlelight “observance” held in Pekin. Jim reports that they did light candles and had a moment of silence, but he left disappointed. He discussed disconnectedness–which lead to tragedies and which seemed to be present at the “observance.”
Here was my reply:
Thank you Jim for articulating that. I appreciate your words and thinking it through.
I understand what you are saying.
We (our culture) is losing the ability to connect and build community (and leverage the things it provides). I’m using these words ‘connect’ and ‘community’ in the full sense. The full sense includes the soul.
Unfortunately, our culture thinks they are connecting and forming communities via electronic technology. Texting and posting on Facebook does not connect people or create community in the full sense.
Going on a mission trip, elbowing up to a table together for a meal, sleeping in the same room with a snoring comrade, sharing a pick-ax, and worshiping God together has potential for connecting people and building community. Hey, let’s do that.
Yours in Christ,
Jim O