The Cost of Community

Last weekend, Justin and I attended a wedding of one of our friends. During the ceremony, the pastor gave a mini-sermon about marriage - that it will be life's greatest blessing, but also life's biggest challenge; it will bring you the most joy, but also the most pain. Having been married for almost five years, Justin and I just smiled at each other. It's no secret to anyone whose been married for any length of time (and to most people who haven't been married), that the marriage relationship takes a lot of work and a lot of sacrifice. You have to learn to put aside your own wants, ways of doing things, and time schedules. It's inconvenient and painful, but totally worth it.

But this isn't just true of marriage - it's true of all deep, meaningful relationships. To experience true community, it requires sacrificing some of our independence and convenience. It requires flexibility, interdependence, and commitment. Just like in marriage, we have to be willing to invest the time and energy into fostering the relationships to build connection. We have to be willing to work through conflict and commit to growing together when our differences cause tension. We must be vulnerable about our struggles and challenges to be able to really spur one another to growth.

We're embarking on a new phase in our church as we relaunch life groups this September. But just joining a life group does not guarantee community any more than saying your vows at a wedding ceremony guarantees a successful marriage. It's the first (and very important) step in a process to build lasting, meaningful relationships. I hope you'll join us in this process!

Hannah Fratt
Children's Ministry Director