One of the greatest challenges I have encountered with people, inside and outside the church, is people’s loneliness. Think of the songs about loneliness. Paul McCartney sang “All the lonely people, where do they all come from.” Eric Carmen crooned “Livin' alone I think of all the friends I've known. But when I dial the telephone, nobody’s home. All by myself, don’t wanna be by myself anymore.” And Gilber O’Sullivan cried out In my hour of need, I truly am indeed, alone again, naturally.
Loneliness, no pun intended, is a singular pain.
As the church is formed in the book of Acts, they share everything in common. They meet together. They need each other.
And today, isolation zones form around people. The studies show the value of social media, but also note that nothing can replace human to human, face to face connection and interaction. And the same studies hold forth that if social media replaces human interaction, loneliness sets in. A real, painful loneliness.
Friends, there is still a place for in-person worship and pot luck suppers! We must strive in our life together to be community for people. And this community needs to extend both to and beyond Sunday mornings. Our community is to meet the needs of those attending here now and those who might yet attend.
If you were to dream, what ministry or event would meet the needs of ourselves and those in our area? How could we build community even moreso, on Sunday morning and beyond. Let’s dream! And we can sing and know, even more, of the community Bill Withers sang of: Lean on me when you’re not strong, and I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you carry on. For it won’t be long ‘til I’m gonna need somebody to lean on. Building community, even more. Let’s dream!
