“Loneliness is and always has been the central and inevitable experience of every man.” – Thomas Wolfe
“All the lonely people, where do they all come from?“ – The Beatles, “Eleanor Rigby”
Have you ever felt lonely, even with people around you? How do you cope with loneliness? How do you define friendship? Who are your true friends? Loneliness is a universal human experience that affects our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
The Covid pandemic worsened the problem of loneliness for many, as they faced isolation, loss, and uncertainty. It has impacted American churches, in attendance, participation, morale and outlook. How can we cope with loneliness and find connection in the world? This summer we will consider that the answer is cultivating a deeper friendship with God and each other. I invite you to join me in a book study of Trevor Hudson’s Beyond Loneliness: The Gift of God’s Friendship. Hudson guides us to discover how God wants to be friends with us and how we can accept God’s invitation. He also helps us to explore how our friendship with God can transform our relationships with ourselves, others and the world.
Hudson looks to the Bible to reimagine our relationships, such as Exodus 33:11, where God speaks to Moses as a friend; Isaiah 41:8, where God calls Israel the descendants of Abraham, God’s friend; and John 15:15, where Jesus says to his disciples, “I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” Jesus reveals the depth of God’s love and friendship. He also shows us how we are invited to share in God’s life and mission, as friends and not as slaves. This is a relationship that we can experience today through the Holy Spirit, and it is amazing good news.
By studying and supporting each other through the summer, I want us to learn how to nurture friendship with God through prayer, silence, Scripture, and other practices. You will be prompted to listen to and follow God in your daily lives. You will be challenged to share God’s love and friendship with others, especially the lonely, hurting or needy. You will be encouraged to celebrate God’s friendship with gratitude, joy and worship.
This book study is for you and for those who may not know God’s friendship – yet! Do you know someone who is lonely and needs good news? Invite them to join you in this journey of faith. Together, we can be God’s grace and compassion in the world. And together, we can thank God for God’s presence and love.
The vision for this summer season of study is “To transform our image of God.” By reading this book, I hope we can grow in our understanding and experience of God’s love, grace, and presence. I also hope to foster Spiritual community where we can share, support and pray for each other, and serve and witness to the world.
The Summer book study begins the week of June 2 and will conclude in the Yates fellowship hall with a light breakfast and a gathered concluding session on Saturday, August 10. Here are some more details:
- If you want to join the book study, you can register online via the church website beginning March 1 at yateschurch.org/books
- The study will take place in small groups of 8 to 12 people (assigned groups, with some exceptions), meeting in homes, and one online encounter, with 8 sessions in 10 weeks to enhance group meeting flexibility.
- You need the book to read yourself. The church will order books for you if you ask (more information on that soon).
- Each group will use common study and discussion resources as a starting point.
- Ideas and themes from the book study will be integrated with the church’s worship, preaching and other summer activities.
Remember the vision – “To transform our image of God!” May we be transformed by renewing our minds this summer. Remember also that this book study is after Easter, the season of new life. We can experience God’s friendship in a new and powerful way as we read, reflect and share. We can reach out to others who need friendship and fellowship, and invite them to join us in this fellowship of faith and friendship called “Yates.” We can be good news people in a world that needs hope and healing from the risen Lord Jesus. Let it be so for Yates!
Grace & Peace,