December 11, 2024
Last Sunday we continued our worship series “Words for the Beginning” by talking about Ruth, Naomi, loneliness, and community. We can’t journey alone through this life, and Advent reminds us that cultivating a community of compassion blesses us and our neighbors.
Author and facilitator Priya Parker writes about what it means to gather well in a world that often feels isolating. On a blog earlier this year, she wrote: “In our gatherings, it’s easy to confuse “belonging” for “sameness.” Belonging is about more than just our shared connections or interests: it’s about feeling a part of the whole without having to all be the same. Creating a sense of belonging is at the heart of meaningful gatherings. It creates an environment where guests feel valued, understood, and accepted. It allows us to open up and participate. Without it, gatherings can feel alienating or superficial. The best gatherers I’ve seen nurture belonging through subtle and even playful cues.”
We continue to welcome guests and newcomers at CFUMC. We will hopefully welcome even more new people when Messy Church begins in January. Let us remember that – like with Naomi & Ruth – our community can feel meaningful and whole without all of us having to be the same.
Don’t forget the series devotional. It includes poetry, visual art, music, reflections, and scriptures. Click this link and bookmark it to use the digital version. online.flippingbook.com/view/811735764/
Read Priya Parker’s full blog post here: https://www.priyaparker.com/art-of-gathering-newsletter/5-ways-to-quickly-build-belonging
Advent Blessings,
Pastor Jared