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How long have you been attending Reach, and what drew you to the church?
I've been going to Reach for about six years now. I love the worship, and I love the teaching because it's all scripture-based — that's something a lot of places don't have. I actually first started attending about 10 years ago, but not on a regular basis. My mother was living with me at the time and she was in a wheelchair so it wasn’t always easy to come every Sunday. After she passed, I started going on a regular basis and that’s been about six years now.
Did you feel connected to the community right away?
For a long time, I really didn't feel like I fit into any group here. Being a single person with no children, and not being in my 20s or 30s — the average age of the church was much younger than I am. That's actually part of why I volunteered in the children's ministry. They put me in pre-K with the three and four-year-olds, and I absolutely love it. I love those kids. But I was missing out on the adult fellowship.
So what changed that for you?
I signed up for the women’s retreat last year and that changed everything. It was a wonderful retreat — the message was great, the worship was excellent, we played games and danced together, the decorations were just on point. But the most special part was the fellowship. The time we had to get to know each other, to really connect. They even had a special room where you could just sit and talk. I think I made some friends at that retreat that I'll have for many, many years.
Were you planning to go to the retreat?
Honestly, no. I almost didn't go. The last retreat I attended, several years ago, I was grouped with women who were around 30, and I just didn't feel like I fit in. I mean, we had Jesus in common — that was it — but it just wasn't quite the right connection. I signed up at the very last minute last year. And what decided it for me was that Shelby and Linda’s daughter Emily conspired to get Linda and I to be roommates — telling each of us that the other needed a roommate. They kind of maneuvered the whole thing. It must have been a God thing, because it changed everything.
How has the church felt different since then?
Now people come up to me — I don't always remember everyone's names, but they come up to me and say, "Hi, Karen!" because we had real conversations at the retreat. I really look forward to coming to church now and talking with the people I got to know there. Reach isn't just my church anymore. It's my home church. The women, the people there — they're my other family.
What would you say to someone who's been attending for a while but doesn't quite feel connected?
Get involved. If you're coming to church but not really plugged in, you need to get into some kind of group. Reach has a lot of those opportunities — home fellowships, small groups, the men's group, the women's retreat. And volunteering is wonderful too. I'm so grateful I had the chance to serve in the children's ministry — those kids are just phenomenal, and it's amazing what God is doing through them. But I'd also say: don't only volunteer with the kids, because you can miss out on the adult connection. You need both.
The biggest thing, though, is just to take the step. I almost didn't go to that retreat. But it turned out to be a God thing — and it changed the way I feel about my church family completely. .The women and the people here, they are my other family