"What 'Community' Means to Me" written by Joyce Semmler

Community can be many things to many people—looking at each other eye-to-eye as we sing Spirit of Life in the closing circle; participating in a work day, sharing food we’ve cooked at a potluck, or sharing ideas and philosophies in a small group.

What community means to me right now is fainting in church and having someone behind you literally cushion your fall with his body, and then  hearing people clap as the paramedics wheel you out (as an NFL fan, I know about this custom). Community means having people sit with you in shifts at the hospital and drop into the emergency room to see how you’re doing. It means still other people driving your car home and making sure it’s safely in the garage.  Community is having people bring you cover-up clothes and magazines to read in the hospital and calling to say, “I’m coming!”

Community is offers to help from people who might not have expected to water your flowers or run your errands or finally, be on tap to pick you up so you could get back home--people who accepted these requests with willingness and a smile.

Community is many phone calls filled with concern and good thoughtful advice and touches of humor.

We may be a small church, but our sense of community is deep and all-encompassing! I know.

Thank you, one and all!