Comments on: Lent Day 7… Have We Fallen Out Of Belonging?

By: Louise

Louise — Mon, 13 Mar 2017 14:26:09 +0000

John O’Donohue’s words frequently land in the center of my heart looking for a place to grow. What a legacy he left. His call, I think, was toward an authentic life – one lived from the inside out. So much to ponder here.

By: Brian Dolleman

Brian Dolleman — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 15:38:44 +0000

Thank you Nicole. The connection between bars and churches is striking. All too often, bars seem to be better at fostering community, friendship, even a sense of family. Your work there—particularly your interactions with Ron—is holy work. Thank you for your example… I want to be more like you

By: Nicole G

Nicole G — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 15:28:17 +0000

Yes! I believe we can all do our small part in our own way to reverse this trend. One of my very favorite things about my job relates to this. There is an older man named Ron who comes in nearly every day to my workplace (a bar). It is possible that he does not have a home; he comes in with a few bags and several sweaters and jackets, and we’ve noticed that he probably doesn’t get to have a shower on many days. He has a couple of IPA beers each day, stays for an hour or two, and we talk about the weather a lot or his days in the military. My coworkers and I greet him by name when he comes to his usual bar stool, and we yell goodbye across the room if he leaves while we are busy elsewhere or with another customer. I feel like this part of his day may be the only time that he feels a sense of belonging, which breaks my heart. This is just one example, but I come across this a whole lot – people are longing for that sense of being connected to others – like they really matter to someone.
Pastor Brian, you are the best at this, and your commitment to making EVERY person feel like they belong and are important at NW Life is a big reason that I love our church <3