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Why, why are we divided? That is the question of the day. Politicians are asking it, educators are asking it, and of course our commentators are examining it. But I'm noticing that the places that would usually knit us together and weave us stronger are increasingly empty and abandoned.
Remember the joy of downtown? The special trip to tromp through the department store (always in my mind the Dayton's store). Through the perfume department, up the elevator to the eighth floor and you were in magic scenes created to delight and create memories. Pippi, The Velveteen Rabbit, The Nutcracker. Our city gathered; we created corporate memory. We were happy together, no matter who we voted for.
But our downtowns now struggle, our malls are increasingly empty, and quaint retail streets and hubs are being abandoned.
Community is made by memory.
For Christians or those of other faith communities, something else has diminished. Having worked in a church, my favorite personal quote was, "Church is not a fluffy cloud." It is flawed, the church has done wrong, it is made up of people. But the church also works for the least of us, provides a venue for volunteering and, honestly, when your life takes a serious wrong turn of illness or disaster, it is there for you.
It is there in the form of faith leaders trained to deal with trauma and congregation members and lay workers trained to accompany people on their life journey. As has been well documented, most churches are not growing, and many people declare themselves as "nones" or having no particular faith community.