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Five Minute Friday: Unite


Five Minute Friday is a writing event that has writers spending five minutes writing on the same topic and then sharing them at http://katemotaung.com/five-minute-friday/. This week's word is Unite.

 This is the sign in my church's courtyard. My pastor put it up within an hour of hearing of Prince's death. You may have seen it in your Facebook feed or on a website you visit. It has gone viral and has led over 1 million people to my church's Facebook page.

 Who knew that the death of a music icon could unite people like that? All walks of faith, all kinds of nonbelievers, all were drawn to my pastor's sign of mourning for a musician that had shape his life with his music. 

 Some might disaagree with a church mourning Prince but I say, uniting in mourning is what the church is about. Uniting in times when we don't understand why a talented, 57-year-old man died, whether that man be a Grammy winner or the man down the street. Uniting makes the pain easier. 

 We unite in the happy times. This courtyard is the site of our Easter morning service, where we take communion and celebrate Jesus is risen. We unite in the rejoicing of life anew.

 I still can't fathom how this sign has reached so many people, resonanting with them in the grief over a piece of their life story. I hope that it leads people to know that they aren't alone, that we can unite with one another and get through this thing called life.

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  1. Joy LentonApril 23, 2016 at 10:52 AM

    Hi Andrea. I see value in these words: "Uniting makes the pain easier" because they've rung true in my experience. And I think what appeals to many in the message your pastor left is the way it states "to get through this thing called 'life'." We can all relate to those words. Life can feel like a battlefield for many, or a gruelling hike, at least some days. Getting through it is a common feeling to those who often feel reluctant to face another day. That's where faith comes in as we look to God for strength, endurance and perseverance, trusting for better times to come. Thank you for sharing. Blessed to be your neighbour at the #FMF link up.

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