And Finally…
In the summer when we aren’t as pressed for time in the morning (something that is about to dramatically change), my husband, Andrew, and I sometimes talk about the things we were reading before heading to bed the night before. One morning, Andrew was sharing with me some interesting findings from a book about health and longevity he has been reading.
After following an immigrant community in Pennsylvania over a generation, the researchers pointed to the strong sense of communal support as a key to the longevity of this hardworking clan. The bonds between these people were built over decades of communal cooking and shared meals through regular support over child rearing and sickness. They actually ate fairly poorly and worked way too many hours doing physically demanding labor. These kinds of stresses in the typical population often translate into poor health but seemed to be mitigated in this community because of the strength of their connections to one another and the support they could count on from one another.
This research confirms what the people of God have known for a long time. We were made for community. We thrive when we are known and supported and have places of belonging. Large extended families have provided this kind of belonging in the past. Today people struggle to find and make deep connections.
The church can be this kind of place for people. I hear stories from some of you that make me know this is happening. But I know this is not always everyone’s experience, and that leads me to wonder how we can support Hope Church in being a place where deep connections can be found and forged.
You will see that “Connections” is the theme of the Christian Education Ministry this year. I know that people see church life as a way to nurture connection to God. I am thinking here about the way that connection to God is so often found through our connections to one another. Like the logo for this theme, the pieces all fit together like the pieces of a puzzle. And as I think about this piece of the puzzle, two things come to mind.
The first is the responsibility we all have to watch for people who might be new or might be on the edges of our community who are longing for connection. Take the risk to walk over and say hello and then take it further if the opening is there. Invite someone to a meal in your home. Ask someone to join you for your circle meeting or for men’s breakfast or for the next PACT playgroup or the first Brim Bunch gathering of the year.
The second thought has to do with taking responsibility for ourselves. When I think back to times that I have felt left out in a group, I am aware that very often I have made some choices along the way that have contributed to that feeling. Open invitations are made all the time and I haven’t taken advantage of the opportunities to get involved. I sometimes need to be the one to walk over to someone I don’t know and introduce myself. I need to show up. Deep connections are a two way (and three way and four way) street, to bring another metaphor into the mix! Opportunities to find and forge them are often right in front of my face if I will just open my eyes to see them and find the courage to walk toward them.
Whether you are looking for those connections here or have found them elsewhere, I encourage us to make it a priority to keep nurturing those relationships. Apparently it is good for our physical health as much as it is good for our souls!
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Jill