“Our love to God is measured by our everyday fellowship with others and the love it displays.”
~South African Author and Minister Andrew Murray
Love your neighbor as yourself. One of the universal principles or commandments that is essential for our fellowship with all of humanity. All faiths teach the message of love. The communion of souls is a way of building each other up through encouragement and service. In Acts 2:42 (KJV) it says
“And they continued steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine and fellowship, and on breaking of bread and in prayers” The consistent gathering of your fellow brothers and sisters creates an unbreakable and durable unity full of spiritual strength. This strength creates the village or close community that brings about spiritual harmony amongst all.
To have such fellowship with others we must first have fellowship with the Most High living God. To fellowship with the Great Spirit you have to love him with all your heart and mind. 1 John 1:3 (KJV) says “That which we have seen and heard declare unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his son Jesus Christ” Fellowship extends beyond friends and family. I enjoy connecting with so called “strangers”. I find that this occurs often in public when I’m waiting at a bus stop or riding the train. Opening your spirit in dialogue with someone you have never encountered in this life creates a peaceful co-existence. You truly realize the uniqueness of all individuals, yet our commonalities bring us together in over-standing our oneness as creation.
Breaking bread together through communion (come-union) with human family members is a powerful means of bringing forth unity. Eating meals with each other brings us closer in knowing others and in-turn ourselves. In Jewish culture the Chabad (Sabbath) meal is spent with community members on the holy day to rest and reflect with one another about the Most High’s love for us. The same love he has for us is what we should strive to have in our interactions to sustain our fellowships.
In Buddhist practice, fellowship is vital in assisting in the happiness of others. After all, Buddhism teaches that we are not truly happy unless others are happy. Frequent study group meetings equivalent to Bible study are held weekly to ensure that all are applying this philosophy towards their life and others. Consistent uplifting human interaction is a way of fulfilling the dharma as a Buddha.
Lastly I want to testify about a true example of fellowship that occurred amongst some children I teach. They are four second grade boys who are close and inseparable. One of the boys started bursting out in tears because he misses his dad who is away. The boys began comforting him by rubbing his back and talking about when their fathers were away. One boy asked to sing the uplifting mystical Ras Michael tune “None a Jah Jah Children No Cry.” As we all sang and drummed, the boy cheered up fast. Children can teach and remind us of what it is to be human, especially having the compassion to bring forth in our fellowships.
Give Thanks and Blessings to All
SPIRITUALITY
The Significance of Fellowship
by Joe Gell
Joe has studied and performed traditional African music with Williams College's Kusika Drum and Dance Ensemble. He received instruction from Kusika's musical director KweYao Agyapon and renown masters such as Titos Sompa, Bernard Woma, and Obbo Addy. In 2005, Gell relocated to Los Angeles where he studied and performed Yoruban rhythms and songs with Nigerian Talking Drum master Francis Awe. Through Awe, Gell met his current master and mentor Baba Ayo Adeyemi. Under Adeyemi, Gell gained spiritual healing through drumming, increased his vocabulary of Yoruban rhythms and songs.Gell credits Adeyemi's "swimming" technique for his musical progression in percussion, drum set and singing.