Community

I grew up in a community of believers that was truly community for each other.  I remember spending many days every week with folks from our church community.  When I was in late elementary school, we spent our weekends at the church, helping to build a new building.  We worked as a community.  I imagine that people helped our family in ways that I will never know, and that our family helped others in quiet ways that my parents did not share with us. 

When I went to college, my community stayed at home.  I went to several churches in college, but never quite found the same community. I found community with a group of friends that met in a variety of ways.  We were kind of an odd group, but worked together well as a community.

In seminary I found a great community again.  I loved it that when someone needed help moving, or making ends meet, we were there for each other with all sorts of help.  This is the way the community of Christ should live.

The next community that I landed with was this one... my coworkers in the battlefield of the children's home.  Residential work is not easy.  It is physically and emotionally draining to work with hurting people.  When you have to burn yourself out day after day, you have to build strong community in order to keep going.  There were so many days that would have felt worthless and left us all feeling hurt and alone, if we had not learned to stand with one another.  Thank you friends and former co-workers.

I've had plenty of friends everywhere I went, just not the experience of community.  Since we moved to Fort Wayne I had been hurting for community.  I recognized this problem, but did not know where to find it.  I decided one morning that what I needed was a group of moms from my church to act as a supportive community.  I saw that it was not happening and was sure that I needed to act in order to make this group form.  The same day I spent my church time praying about it, a friend told me that a couple of other women were getting ready to start a mom's group!  This community has been amazing to me.  I am a welcomed part of a caring group.  And you know what, it's only just the beginning of the group.  We have met 3 times and I have been there twice.  I know I am valued because these women check in on me - online and in person.  They care about me and my family.

Because of my community, my attitude toward our church has changed.  2 months ago I wanted to find someplace else to worship.  I did not feel like a part of things, I did not know people and I felt like it was a generally unwelcoming place.  The last month and half have been transformational for me.  I have not only been involved with these women, but felt more free to talk with other people in the church that I did not know before.  Our family is blessed to be in community at Heartland.