What defines a community? Is it common location, common language, common experience? Or can communities form in other ways?

Today in Lorenette, we learned about community through worship and soccer. We began with morning prayer conducted by the school principal. Our group shared two songs during worship: "Sanctuary" and "We are Marching", both of which seemed well received. 

At this point, it's clear that we've started to be accepted. Previous evenings at evening prayer only a few people greeted us during the peace, but this morning barriers are falling and we were greeted by everyone. 

After lunch, Jim taught a soccer fundamentals course for the local young men, and then we walked 10 minutes to the local soccer field for a pick-up game. Mark, Jim and Sofia all played "shirts". (I think some of the young men were initially disappointed to play on the same team as Sofia, but if so, she surprised them with her abilities.) After an hour of hard play, the final score was 2-1, "skins". (The men claimed that they didn't hold back. I still have my doubts.) 

By evening prayer, there was not even the memory of barriers between us. One older woman, Edziel Necamie, made this especially clear. At the morning service, she begged the presider to give her time during the service to sing a solo to welcome us, and after the evening service she sang again to wish us well on our journey home. 

Together we sang, we prayed, we danced: bound by common faith, liturgy and music; with one common vision: we are one community building a school.

~Allen Adams