One in Christ

Today I preached at St. Andrew’s in Central Cairo. Such a wonderful and strange experience. I traveled by Metro to the church this morning in my clerical collar. It didn’t seem as if anyone was staring, though I’m not sure it they would recognize a clerical collar. Certainly they’ve seen priests in their vestments before, but maybe they didn’t recognize what I was wearing as priestly clothing.

The worship service went fine. There were about 40 present. People from America, Great Britain, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Japan, Nigeria, Sudan and even Egypt. It was a wonderful and mix of people. Certainly it was the most multi-cultural group that I have ever worshiped with anywhere in the world. While Cairo is a large city, it is predominately a mono-culture – more like Minneapolis than New York City – and so this multicultural group is especially noticeable.

Before worship this morning I was speaking with a young man named Jacob from Singapore and he was telling me some about the refugee ministry and some of the language classes that are offered at St. Andrew’s. He said that one of the interesting things is that in these classes Arabs and Africans study side by side – something that doesn’t happen in Egyptian society for the most part. He also said that an Egyptian has begun volunteering in the program. In some small way that ministry is transforming lives by bringing together for a common goal – learning English – people who normally would not associate with one another.

After worship I was invited to join a small group in their Bible study of the Book of Acts (Acts 16). It was a fascinating discussion with a variety of thoughts and opinions expressed. As might be imagined in such a diverse group the discussion was at times passionate and heated, but throughout a spirit of love and respect was present. I was sorry to have to leave it early. I look forward to returning again next week.

Being in the midst of this incredibly diverse environment in worship and Bible study, Paul’s words from Galatians 3 (our epistle reading for the day) took on a new and powerful meaning. “As many of you has were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female; for all are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3) I’ve always loved this great news that Paul shares with believers in every time and place and have been grateful to be part of church that has tried to live them out so fully, especially when it comes to the roles of men and women in leadership. But today as a woman preaching in Cairo in the midst of this incredibly diverse congregation of believers, I saw a fuller and more beautiful picture of the body of Christ than I have ever seen before. It was a grace moment!