What’s So Special About Being Together?
Our theme for Congress this year is Together—and what a way to come together as the people of God: worshipping, serving, praying, hanging out and simply being together!
As often happens when I reflect on a word or phrase, different ‘together’ songs have been playing through my mind. Songs like the classic Christian chorus ‘We’re Together Again’, Rick Astley’s ‘Together Forever’ (yes, I am old and uncool), and a family favourite of ours, The Muppets’ ‘Together Again (Again)’. In this last song, Kermit the Frog sings, ‘Cause no feeling feels like that feeling! Together again (again)’. There is something special about coming together—everyone being valued for who they are, everyone having the opportunity to participate and being able to belong no matter who they are—that’s what ‘together’ means to me.
Two ways I’ve been reminded of this recently are through studying Acts 2:42–47, and by thinking about the young people in our movement.
Have you heard the phrase Tino Taonga being used across The Salvation Army lately? It means ‘precious treasure’ and ‘invaluable’. It’s both a challenge and a reminder for our movement. We have a responsibility to see every child and young person as a taonga—a treasure of immeasurable worth. They are not simply the future, but an essential part of our ‘together’ right now. Our families, communities and churches are richer when their voices, gifts and presence are valued.
In Acts 2:42–47, we read about the early church—the fellowship of believers—and how they met together regularly. In fact, it was every day. The passage describes six things they did when they were together: they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, to prayer, to the breaking of bread, to sharing their possessions and to praising God. As I reflected on these words, I realised that this is exactly what the intention is of Together Congress. But it’s more than that. This sense of togetherness—of valuing all people, of seeing and hearing our young people and children, isn’t restricted to an event or even to a church activity. It’s about all of life.
How might you consider living out these practices—these principles of inclusion, fellowship, sharing and devotion to God’s Word—in your everyday life? What might this look like in your family? In your community? And yes, in your church? Where have you seen the beauty of being together across generations?
May we all enjoy the gift of being together in these days.
Lt-Colonel Liz Gainsford
Territorial Secretary for Spiritual Life Development
