fellowship
close sense of association between Christians from earliest New Testament times, as referred to in Paul’s letters and the Acts. ‘Koinonia’, the word in NT Greek, is variously used to convey a sense of intimacy with God, of communion with others in the church as the body of Christ, and of sharing in the eucharistic life of sacrifice. Its radical qualities included its being fully comprehensive of all sorts and conditions of men and women (Roman citizens/slaves, Jews/non-Jews) and extending to a special relationship with the poor (Romans 15:26). These are all features which Christian congregational life has been called to emulate, but only sometimes been successful in achieving.