Curry and Quiz and Community

Last night was curry and quiz night at the church and an excellent evening it was too. Thanks to Andy for organising, all those who cooked, and Pete and Annette for the well-balanced quiz (modesty forbids that I say which team won).

Which brings me back to community, solid church and exclusivity. We were a disparate group last night. Not that disparate, in that we are all white and middle-class, (but then most of Yate and Sodbury is), but these are people that I probably wouldn't have met other than through the church. I have things in common with them - Pete and I share a passion for 70s rock in general and Steve Harley and Bill Nelson in particular, Stuart and I share a passion for science-fiction, Richard and I share a passion for mathematics, and so on - but no one thing in common with all of them except faith. Which we didn't talk about last night, or at least I speak for myself. Are we a community or an exclusive club?

It is different to the chess club where we meet, play, and talk about chess, and go home until next week. Occasionally at chess club there is talk of eg fishing but mostly it's about chess. Roleplaying night we talk about films and computers but these are mostly related to roleplaying, even if somewhat tangentially. But at church we talk about other things, although Pete did put in some kind of Biblical question into as many rounds as he could.

TheTuesday Together club (and it is very new; it is still an experiment as I understand) is not primarily, or even largely, intended to discuss faith, although it will sometimes, as in February's meeting. It is not an outreach group, although anyone can come, member of the church or not. It can be a drop-in group; some members didn't come because they don't like curry (or maybe quizzes). They may come next time, or the time after. It will be an awkward night for some (Annette's netball night, for instance).

It still builds community, in the way that solid churches do. Amen.