A Place to Belong

A Place To  Belong

 In the 1980’s sitcom “Cheers” the theme song opens with those familiar lyrics that invite us to sing,

“Making your way in the world today
Takes everything you got
Taking a break from all your worries
It sure would help a lot
Wouldn't you like to get away?

Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name
And they're always glad you came
You want to be where you can see
The troubles are all the same
You want to be where everybody knows your name”

At the heart of the attraction of an environment in a place like “Cheers” is the opportunity to feel like you belong.  Every one of us, no matter where we are in life, needs to have a sense of belonging. Something inside of each of us longs to be valued. People desire to feel they are worthy and they are loved. Allow me to ask you a question, “Do you believe you are worthy of love and belonging?” God says you are!

Researcher/Storyteller Brené Brown shares a widely accepted truth: “Connection is why we’re here. what gives purpose and meaning to our lives. Robin Williams said, “I used to think the worst thing in life is to end up all alone. It’s not. The worst thing is to end up with people who make you feel all alone.” We are wired for connection and created to crave belonging.

It’s exciting to feel like you belong, That feeling of arrival—like sitting down to a homemade meal with your closest friends. A Church is a place to belong, a place to grow, a place to enjoy and a place to be loved.

The word “Church” means different things to different  people, for some, it awakens warm feelings of potluck dinners and singing. For others, it might rigger a more sour feeling, a subtle tensing of the shoulders.  People’s reactions to the church are as varied as their individual histories.

But what is God’s intention for the Church? When God initiated the Church, He had in a mind a heartfelt connection of diverse people. He said the “greatest love we could show was to lay down our lives for our friends” John 15:13. There is no greater belonging than the one God intended in the Church. The Church is a community of people committed to doing life together and knowing God. The Church is a place where many people should know your name. Through thick and thin, these are the friends who you do life with struggles and all. Most importantly these are people who genuinely care about you and when others abandon you, they will stay by your side. God desires for each of us to find a place of belonging in His family.

As we build momentum for “ReStart Sunday” 9.17.17, I invite you to pray about people in your life who could benefit from a place to belong. Engage in a conversation with them and invite them to Church. Better yet, invite them into a relationship with Jesus Christ.  There are many opportunities for people to connect through our men’s and women's ministries, bible study, children’s and youth ministries. It just takes an invitation.  Let’s be a community of believers that not only welcomes others but values who they are!

Remember: The Church is not a building. It’s a community of people brought together to experience God’s love and purpose.

Lets us focus on making an invitation to those who need God’s love and sense of belonging,

Pastor Kevin