Connection Through Our Care for Each Other

One thing I ‘bang on about’ a lot is being well connected into church life. While gathering on a Sunday is an incredibly important part of our worship, being well connected means engaging beyond Sunday as well– through small groups, ministry teams, and in the everyday care we offer one another.

The reason I bang on about it is simple: the people who are most connected just… well… do better. They tend to be more resilient and better able to navigate life’s challenges. That shouldn’t surprise us. Our theology of a triune God –Father, Son and Spirit in an ever-giving, ever-receiving relationship of love– reminds us that we were created for connection. Worship is not simply something we do when we come together on a Sunday; it is expressed in the way we share life, carry burdens, encourage one another and grow together as disciples. 

I am often inspired by the richness of care that happens within our small groups and ministry teams. I see people offering support, praying and walking alongside each other through both joys and struggles. At the same time, some people find themselves less connected especially during seasons of bereavement, illness or major life transitions.

With this in mind, we have formed a small pastoral care team, not to replace the care done in those spaces but with the hope that no one slips through the cracks and that every person feels seen, supported and helped to recognise God's presence.

As we launch this team, we'll be praying for them in church. Please keep them in your prayers and look for ways to connect more deeply into the Body. It will do you, and all of us, good as we follow and worship Jesus by doing life together.

Colleen