Going to church affirms our belief in each other

Photo: Gerald Farinas.

These are troubled times. I know it’s cliche and has been said by every generation in the face of their challenges. But it’s still true.

And here’s this truth: the powerful seem to thrive by dividing us.

They push more people to the margins. They tell us who belongs and who doesn’t. Who matters and who doesn’t.

They stir up fear and feed us lies that we are better off alone.

But every time we go to church, we do something powerful. We say no to that lie.

Going to church is not just about showing faith in God. It is also about showing faith in each other. It is a way of saying, “You matter. I see you. We belong to each other.”

When we gather for worship, we are not just praying. We are pushing back against a world that tries to isolate us.

When we shake hands and pass the peace (it lasts a good 10 to 15 minutes at Edgewater Kirk), we are saying, “I believe in your worth.”

When we sit side by side and sing, whether it’s a traditional hymn or a contemporary praise song, we are blending our voices into something stronger than fear.

Worship affirms our belief that God is still with us.

That love is stronger than hate.

That justice is worth fighting for.

But it also affirms that people still matter.

That community still matters.

That we are not meant to walk through this life alone.

Church is one of the last places where people of different ages, backgrounds, politics, and experiences gather not to argue, but to hope. Not to cancel, but to care.

And yes, church is messy. We get things wrong. We are far from perfect.

But when we come together, we are practicing something holy. We are building a space where everyone is welcome. Where the lonely can find comfort. Where the grieving can be held. Where the joyful can be celebrated.

That matters.

It matters in a world that keeps telling us to look out for ourselves first.

It matters when the rich and powerful want to draw lines and keep others out.

It matters when cruelty is passed off as strength.

Every Sunday, when you walk through those doors, you are saying something bold.

You are saying, “I believe in grace.”

You are saying, “I believe in people.”

You are saying, “I believe we still belong to each other.”

Faith is not just something we keep in our hearts. It is something we live out loud. In the way we show up. In the way we love. In the way we sit beside one another and say, “You are not alone.”

So keep going to church.

Keep praying. Keep singing.

Keep hoping.

Because when we gather, we do more than worship.

We remind the world that God is not finished.

And neither are we.