Peace of Christ

Anyone who was part of the Impromptu Hourlong Hallway Handholding Prayer Session of 2004 (Dwighters?) knows that I am not a fan of holding hands.  It is imposing, sweaty, and unsanitary.  However, I made an exception at church today in the name of Christian solidarity.  Handholding comes up at church not infrequently.  Whenever I want to resist (i.e. always) I remind myself of the the Woolwich church I attended back at the Bo'.  There, we ended each communion service with the whole congregation filing out of our pews to make a giant circle, joining hands, and singing Blest Be the Tie that Binds.  It was a tradition at once cheesy, simple, and deeply moving-- a reminder of what binds hilariously different people (like the old German man who welcomed us as the 'Oriental friends from afar') together.  

Today at church, the band played "They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love," a classic from the 60s, as the service closed.  I love the song but couldn't help but note with alarm that as the song began, Josh, standing around the corner from me, was holding hands with his neighbors.  Soon, the clasp traveled down around the bend and Nancy, on my left, grabbed my hand.  I turned to Gene on my right and shrugged, "I guess we're holding hands." 

But Gene wasn't one for displays of Christian unity (I wish I knew that was an option, though I wouldn't have the heart to say no to Nancy).  He simply shook his head and kept his arms crossed.  Thinking that he misheard me, since the song was still and we were singing through all of this, I motioned to him again, and again, no go.  By now, our row was in near hysterics because of his flat out denial (though still trying to look composed and holy since people were deep in feeling the Christian love).  Finally, Stephanie, from the row behind, extended her hand to me.  Her row, too, had formed a line of clasped hands.  So there we were in the back, an amoeboid symbol of unity, weaving across pews, and completely cutting off Gene and Carrie.

We will work with each other/ we will work side by side/
And we'll guard each one's dignity/ and save each one's pride/
unless you're Gene Lee/
And they'll know we are Christians by our love/ by our love/
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.