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What do you love about living in Tioga County?

It’s really an amazing place to live. Nestled in the hills and full of opportunities for hiking, biking, hunting, and fishing — this region is full of beauty and excitement.

But, do you know what I like best? The sense of community. I was reminded of that as I walked through town during the annual Laurel Festival last week. What an event! I saw so many old friends and even made some new ones.

Although we have a very close-knit community, many people still feel alone. Alone in depression. Alone in addiction. Alone, suffering the pain of past abuse. Alone in anxiety, or doubt, or fear. We have a great community, but in the midst of struggle, many feel there is no one they can trust and no one who will understand.

Does that describe you? If so, I want to remind you of something you may have forgotten. You were made for community! God designed people to be in deep, meaningful, interdependent relationships. Without them our darkness becomes even more suffocating and painful.

You get a sense of this from the New Testament description of the church as the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12). Just as a human body is made up of many interdependent parts, God’s people are made to depend on one another to be healthy and effective. In other words, you were made for community. You have a built-in need to depend on others — and others need you too.

This weekend, consider participating in the life of the body of Christ. Find a Gospel preaching, Bible believing local church and get invested. I know — the first step is the hardest, but it’s so worth it!