Connecting with each other isn’t as easy as it…
Connecting with each other isn’t as automatic as it…
Our Intentionally series seems especially appropriate these days given how intentional we have to be about everything we do. I don’t just run into people I know like I used to. Many kids aren’t around their classmates and friends every day like they used to be. We don’t bump into each other at church like we used to. In fact, bumping into someone now seems like a bad thing.
We have to be intentional about connecting with each other. And we have to double down on our intentionality when our normal patterns of connecting are disrupted.
For some of us, our lifeGroups are a huge part of our connectedness, and are even more so now.
But many of us are not in a lifeGroup.
Some of us have family close by.
But many of us don’t.
We’ve tried a few things to help the whole church be more connected, but it still requires a bunch of effort.
I get it, I’m tired of being in front of a computer, or on the phone. It’s easier to just bleed Netflix dry. And when I think about calling someone I don’t regularly connect with (for me, even those I do regularly connect with) I don’t know what I’ll say, or what I’ll ask, or if it will just be an annoyance to them that I’m calling. So far Netflix hasn’t acted as if I’m an annoyance, just the periodic “are you still watching?”
But we are missing out on seeing each other, and running into each other at church. And so we’re missing the chance to have changes in another person’s life (a newly lost tooth, an injury, or even a new child) slap us in the faces (Ok, maybe the rest of you are naturally more observant than I am). And so we’re also missing the chance to ask, “what happened” and “how can I help” or “how can we celebrate?”
So, if you’re missing some of that community that I am, or if you just think that there might be others in the church who are (hint, there are), I want to give you an easy way to call, and hopefully sprinkle in a little fun. And no, this isn’t the same thing we’re asking lifeGroups to do. This is another way to try 🙂
Pick someone from the church who you don’t know, or don’t know that well, especially someone who you used to run into at church, or who you just feel led to reach out to, and call them.
You can simply say, “Hi _____, this is _____. I go to the Church with you. We’re all trying to connect a bit better since we don’t run into people at church right now. So I just wanted to see how you are doing?” (here’s where you wait for them to respond, and then ask follow up questions) You might also ask, “Is there anything going on that you would like prayers for?” If you’re feeling up to it, you can ask to pray right then and there on the phone with them. It’s easier than you might think. And when you’re done, you can say something like, “I had a nice time talking to you, feel free to call me if you ever want to chat.”
Easy peasy pumpkin squeezy.
In addition, every week in our weekly email I’ll include a fun question you can ask. The first fun/bonus question is, “Have you ever dressed a pet up?” (And do you have any pets and what are their names)
I hope that helps make it easy enough to try. If you need phone numbers, you can use the church App, an old directory, or you can email (or call) me and I’ll get you some numbers.
8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. -1 Thessalonians 2:8
If you are surprised in any way, and have a story to tell, please email it to [email protected] or add it to our website at https://livelifetogether.com/stories
And if you have any ideas for fun ways we can be intentionally connecting as a church family, please call, text, or email me.
Teammates,
Matthew Wipperman
Pastor and D.M.M.
the Church
