Where You Go, I Will Go

When you think about the organizations and activities you participate in, what are some of the most important factors for you? For me, without a doubt, community rises to the top. This is one of the many reasons I love the church. As a child, in many ways, the church raised me. Outside of my parents and school, people at church were those that I saw the most, and they more than saw me. They taught me about faith and serving others, nurtured my interests and talents, celebrated big moments in my life, and journeyed with me through the chaos.

Life can be lonely and overwhelming. Having a community that you know will have your back, no matter what, is so important. Throughout my time in different churches, I have witnessed people support and care for each other through relationship endings, pregnancies, job loss and change, mental health crises, scary diagnoses, and so much more. Together, through the compassion we show each other, we witness the presence of God and the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. We breathe hope into challenging situations and honor each other's mourning.

This act of being together, of simply being present (and yet not simply in so many ways) is sacred. Faith communities offer this connection and also the space to reflect on God's presence in the midst of it all. Our scripture this Sunday comes from Ruth 1. Ruth and Naomi, a beautiful story of two women who hold onto each other through some of life's most challenging moments offers us some thoughts on what it means to journey together.