It doesn't take a genius to realize the great distrust of institutions nowadays. The church is certainly no exception. I have often struggled to integrate what I perceive of the message of Jesus and the work of the church. Still, I continue to take both enormous comfort and encouraging guidance from this oh so imperfect communion of saints. In their witness, I see my own failings. As I stand with others struggling for faith, I find my own faith strangely strengthened. I know that there are many who claim that you can be a Christian outside of the church but for the life of me, I don't see how. I simply cannot imagine how I would manage without the witness of those who have struggled before me and who share my struggles now. Knowing as we all do how susceptible to unholy things we all are, it does seem almost blasphemous to claim that the church is the body of Christ. Yet there is, I believe, great wisdom in recognizing that together as we share our faith, even as we share our unfaithfulness, Christ is present, guiding us, holding us together, pointing out our weakness, encouraging our strength, making himself known in, with and through us.