Connection with Community

Point of Relation

In 2004, I rediscovered church at Vernon United Methodist.

Watching my children bloom,

I felt an immediate sense of belonging.

"Coming here feels like coming home,"

I told Pastor Pat. Her response still guides me:

"That's good! Church should feel like home."

But my search wasn't always smooth.

At a previous church, I was bombarded with complex theological questions about human sexuality.

As a new seeker,

I felt scrutinized rather than welcomed.

My children's fear was palpable –

their intuition sensing an unsafe space.

These contrasting experiences shaped my view of church:

not just a building or beliefs, but a family where everyone belongs.

As your pastor, I strive to create that welcoming space here –

where we explore faith together,

celebrate diversity,

and make love our foundation.

Remember:

Church isn't about having all the answers,

but about imperfect people,

perfectly loved by God, supporting each other.

That's the community we're called to be.

Things to Consider

We often retreat from community when we need it most.

Why?

Life's pressures,

depression's lies,

shame's walls,

past hurts –

all push us away.

Yet, it's not just about showing up.

It's about creating a space worth showing up to.

A church where:

Wounds find healing, not deeper cuts

Where questions are welcomed, not silenced

Where imperfection is embraced,

not merely tolerated

Our call?

To be a beacon of belonging in a world of isolation.

To embody the love we preach.

In the end, it's not about perfect attendance…

It's about perfect love, imperfectly expressed,

drawing us all closer to each other and to God.

What Scripture Says

Picture a grand symphony of faith,

composed with notes of hope and struggle.

Hebrews sets the scene of early believers,

like musicians in an orchestra,

battered by the winds of persecution.

Once playing boldly,

they're now faltering under society's cold stare.

Into this, the conductor's words ring out:

"Play together.

Encourage one another."

It's not just advice; it's a lifeline.

Love and good deeds aren't optional extras,

but the very rhythm of faith.

Why the urgency?

Because "the Day" is coming.

Not just any day, but THE Day.

Now, I want you to Imagine a cosmic crescendo:

justice served,

the oppressed lifted up,

and Christ's reign no longer a whisper

but a universal chorus.

This promise is our guiding melody when the night feels endless.

When the world's discord threatens to break us,

it's the harmony holding us together.

In a "solo performance" society,

we dare to say,

"We're in this ensemble together."

Worship becomes a preview of heaven's symphony,

each gathering a rehearsal in God's masterpiece.

Our love and kindness?

They're not just for us.

They're a resonant chord to a weary world, sounding

"There's a better way!"

We persevere, not because we're virtuosos,

but because we're supported.

Supported by a hope bigger than our fears.

Supported by a community that hears our off-notes and says,

"You belong” despite them.

Supported by a God who keeps time like a perfect metronome.

This is Hebrews' heart:

Don't play solo.

In a world of cacophony, be the harmony.

When despair looms, be the persistent refrain of hope.

In doubt's silence, be the guiding melody.

We're not just waiting for THAT Day that Hebrews tells us of–

we're composing it,

one act of love at a time.

And now let’s hear where Ecclesiastes chimes in,

harmonizing with Hebrews' melody.

”Two instruments are better than one,"

the author of Ecclesiastes sings,

reminding us that life's concert isn't meant to be a solo performance.

When one falters, the other keeps the rhythm.

When the night's cold silences one,

two can create warming harmonies.

When critics attack,

two voices resound stronger than one alone.

God didn't design us for solo performances,

especially in a world pushing us to play alone.

Worship and small groups aren't just jam sessions;

they're orchestral practices,

building soul-deep harmonies.

It's about creating spaces where love's melody grows

and good deeds' rhythms are born.

We're called to be more than "Sunday-morning musicians."

Our faith should resound beyond the sanctuary and into our everyday lives.

As the world groans in dissonance, we're nudged to draw closer, not drift apart.

To challenge each other – not to compete,

but to create better harmonies and more beautiful melodies.

In a world where the music seems to be fading,

we're the orchestra keeping it alive.

It's our calling, our privilege—

to be the ensemble that echoes the coming Day,

even in the darkest nights.

So let's tune up, play out, and live it loud – together.

Echoing Ecclesiastes 4:12, we might say in our musical metaphor:

”A trio produces richer harmonies."

When we blend our individual melodies with each other and with God,

we create a symphony of faith that can resound through any storm.

What This Means for You

Your faith isn't a solo act.

Every note matters more than you think.

Notice an empty seat? Reach out.

"I've missed you" can be a lifeline.

Break out of the Sunday-morning box.

Share a coffee,

a story,

a struggle.

Feel that spark? Fan it into flame.

Join a group,

dive into a mission.

New to faith? Welcome!

Explore, question, connect.

There's a place for you.

Long-timers:

Be the welcome you once needed.

Extend a hand, share your story.

Church isn't a spectator sport.

It's a heartbeat of hope in a forgetful world.

Step into the messy,

beautiful dance of community.

In harmonizing with others,

you might just find yourself in tune with the divine.Your move.

The orchestra is waiting.

What melody will you contribute today?

What This Means for Us

Friends, we're called to be a sanctuary,

not just a structure.

A place where:

Authenticity trumps forced smiles

Where absence is noticed, presence celebrated

where Christ's reflection shines in everyone

where hurt finds healing through honest reconciliation

We're not perfect,

but we're placed to show love in action.

Our challenge?

Create a community so compelling that isolation loses its allure. Amen?

Let's compose a symphony of hope that the world can't help but hear. Amen!

Sermon written by Rev. Todd R. Lattig with the assistance of Perplexity AI.