Have you ever been tempted to buy clothing, let’s say socks, described as ‘one size fits all’?

I fell for that line once, but never again. Those socks would be better described as one size could quite possibly fit 80% of the population. Then all you have to do is work out where in the population profile you fit. I tend to know myself fairly well, and that one size certainly doesn’t fit me. I don’t fit the profile. My feet are too big. Those socks and my feet do not belong together. I could of course try to squeeze my feet into those socks. I shouldn’t be surprised then when the socks creep down my heel and into the body of the shoe. Very uncomfortable.

There is of course a solution: cut off one inch from the toe end. Then of course, my toes would be likely to get blisters.

You know and I know but when it comes to life, our likes and preferences, one size does not fit all. Just 5 minutes of observing people coming through the checkouts at your favourite supermarket will soon tell you just how different we are in our tastes and preferences, and that’s just when it comes to food. Take time also then, to observe the clothing that people wear, styles, colours, levels of formality. Listen to their language listen to the languages. Observe an amazing diversity of people who somehow live and shop together.

We shouldn’t be surprised that in the church, even though we confess a faith in common, we have, nevertheless, different ways of living and expressing that faith.

Right at this moment in the life of the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand, there are some emerging preferences over the question of whether or not we could allow both men and women to be ordained for public ministry in our church. It was differences in preferences and understandings of teaching, worship styles and how people lived their faith that kept the Lutheran Church in divided sections: until, in 1966, after years of conversations, negotiating, prayer, love and forgiveness, the Lutheran Church of Australia was formed through the merging of different expressions of the Lutheran Church in Australia.

This Sunday, we’re not going to try and fit our diverse thoughts and opinions all snugly into a one size fits all sock. We are however going to explore how we as church can remain together, in worship, in faith; in love with the Lord and each other. What is it that finally and always gives us unity?

Hint: could it have something to do with believing in Jesus: the bread of life?