World Communion Sunday at Teusaquillo Mennonite

The Teusaquillo Mennonite Church is not a remarkable looking building, certainly compared to the ornate, old cathedrals that one can find within a few kilometres of it around Bogota.  It is a three story brick building that could be mistaken for a small office block.  One flight up from the street level there is a room with a low ceiling with large pillars which obscure the vision of many.  It can hold perhaps 150 people sitting on plastic chairs that are set up for the service.  Despite its appearance, It is perhaps one of the most remarkable churches I have ever visited anywhere. 

Over the years I have talked to many displaced people in Colombia and Canada who speak fondly of this church.  They have given hope and faith to countless people over the years—probably more than any church I have ever come in contact.  It is also a place where many people face danger, so I do not often mention names of people there or take pictures.

Today when we walked into the church for their first service, I noticed the communion set on the table at the front, and I was reminded by the worship leader that this is World Communion Sunday (by the way, I am grateful that Stephen Abernathy, an MCC worker, for translating in the service and at other times in our visit). 

The sermon for the day was delivered by a laywoman of the church, who really helped put this day into context for me.  She reminded us that the last supper celebrated by Jesus was in fact a Passover feast, an event that commemorated the exodus experience of the people of Israel.  The Passover is a meal that is rich with symbolism.  What is significant about the Passover feast that Jesus celebrated with his disciples is that the elements of bread and wine were reinterpreted in the current context of Jesus’ passion.  Symbols, she said need to sometimes be reinterpreted for the time that they are used.

The question then came, “What do these symbols then mean in our current context?”  For me, that was a powerful question, to ask in Colombia in a room where people were suffering in ways I could not imagine. 

However, before moving to the present, the preacher spoke of the communion in the context of the early Anabaptists.  This group, whom she spoke of as their spiritual ancestors, held communion in high regard.  For them it was a reminder of the suffering of Jesus and in that way communion helped them understand their own suffering in a redemptive way.

What then does celebrating communion in this context for the Teusaquillo Mennonite Church?  In this context, she said communion on this day in this place is a symbol of love in the face of persecution.  It was a way to recognize of connections to each other. 

As someone from an eighth of the way around the world, I felt moved to be a part of communion in that context.  I felt it was important for us to be there.  Our presence on World Communion Sunday said that  Christians world were with them in their suffering.  In that rather plain room, we were saying no to the violence and yes to God’s love as we shared the ancient symbols that have meant liberation and community for so long.