Lessons from the Community of the Eclectic

By Rev. Michael Hafele, Westhampton Presbyterian Church

Moving my daughter into college was always going to be emotional milestone. What I didn’t expect was it also being a revelation.

We arrived at the Savannah College of Art and Design ready to empty boxes and organize a dorm room for her journey as an animation major. We did that.

I also unpacked a lesson in humanity that gave me hope.

The legendary Georgia humidity didn't wait until we reached the dorms; it hit me soon after I stepped off the plane. I felt that southern heat immediately. Yet, most of my physical discomfort faded as we began exploring the city.

For those of you who don’t know Savannah, it really is the community of the eclectic.

I’m a bald old guy, so I am pretty sure I stood out in a crowd where hair colors represented every shade of the rainbow and shirts were covered in various political pins. Yet, this place operated with an instinctual love and respect for one another and for us. She is in the right community—welcoming, integrated, and accepting. She is one of them, and they are part of her.

As a pastor, I was moved. If a dissertation were written about our trip, it would be about how this school and Savannah community could be a witness to the church community. Too often, our congregations struggle with the very thing these folks did naturally: love unconditionally.

Sometimes our familiar readings of Psalm 23 can overshadow the deeply personal nature of who God is. God is your Shepherd and the God who actively welcomes you to the table alongside the multitude of community. It is in truly understanding this welcoming heart of God that we find how imperative it is to live that out in our own lives.

We must devote ourselves to breaking bread together, welcoming one another to the table regardless of disposition, looks, or any of the arbitrary boundaries we use to isolate one another.

The belief that communities must isolate is a lie. We must stop polarizing one another. A shepherd doesn't just gather sheep that look identical; a shepherd cares for the entire flock, guiding them into a space of safety and belonging. God calls us to engage each other exactly like this—protecting, welcoming, and pulling up chairs to a shared table without barriers.

This is echoed in Hebrews 10:23-25, which urges us to consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, reminding us not to stop meeting together, and to actively encourage one another. Standing in Savannah, I realized those art students were living out the very essence of that call. Without even realizing it, their inclusion reflected how we ought to gather—continually building up, supporting, and provoking one another.

Leaving my daughter in Savannah was tough, but she’s in a place we all hope our congregations can resemble.

Rev. Michael Hafele is Pastor at Westhampton Presbyterian Church.