The Power of Connection
I met up with a friend a few weeks ago. We went for a walk, but it was still cold out that morning and so we stopped to get coffee and breakfast along the way. We caught up about our families, work, and plans for the summer.
The best part of my job is getting to be with people. I love meeting people for the first time and hearing their stories and the questions they bring about living a life of faith. I also am honored to be with people in hard moments, when life feels scary and overwhelming. I am excited to go on mission trip again this summer to get to laugh and serve with our youth group. Being part of a faith community, is all about connection. We connect with God in worship and prayer, but we also connect with other people and see in them the image of God.
These connections enrich our lives in so many ways. Meaningful relationships create a sense of belonging and provide a source of support. We learn from one another and remind us that we are not alone whether as parents struggling with the demands of raising children in a confusing world or as we are aging or dealing with illness or just in finding meaning and purpose in our lives. We need each other and we need ways to connect.
Sometimes we connect through a phone call or letter, sometimes through meeting up in person for a meal or a cup of coffee. And maybe we send a text or message on social media or an email. I can sometimes feel overwhelmed by the number of ways we have to connect with each other in 2025. But, I have realized that different kinds of communication work for different moments or for different people. It is a gift to live in a time when we can connect with each other in all different ways. Living through covid, we have discovered new ways to be in relationship. A zoom call, like our Pew Pals groups, or a text group, or even waving to our friends online can be powerful ways of staying connected even if we can’t be together in real time.
As we continue to grow as a church, our staff has been working on the best ways to keep St. Barnabas connected to each other. We want you to have simple ways to reach out to a friend from church, to join in a small group, volunteer, or sign up for a parish dinner or event.
We’re excited to launch Realm Connect, a new digital tool to help our church family stay connected and engaged. It’s an easy way to stay in touch, find information, and be more connected to the life of St. Barnabas. You can access the tool from a computer browser or by downloading the Realm Connect app.
You will receive an email from the church to check and update your contact information and you can also add a photo to your profile so we can find each other. As we are growing, it’s important that we have everyone’s most up to date information as we know sometimes emails or addresses change.
Realm Connect will replace our old app and member portal with a one stop shop for all your member activities. After much research, we have found Realm Connect to be an easier tool for our church family to reach each other, keep up with what’s going on, and grow as a connected community of believers.
We hope you will join us in making this shift and check out Realm Connect for yourself!
Look in your email for instructions to set up your password and access your account and then download the Realm Connect app. Over the next few weeks, we will have people ready to help you get set up and logged on after church on Sundays. And we are planning to launch a print version of a photo directory this fall once we make sure all the contact info is correct.
I am so grateful to be part of a community like St. Barnabas where we encourage and support each other throughout our lives.
Blessings,
Jane +