I’ll be honest with you, some of the changes we’ve had to make this term have been a disappointment to me. And that got me thinking: what is it that I really value, and how can I be creative about building these things in other ways?

One of the things that I value is community – being together for a shared purpose; something beyond ourselves. So how do we build community in our current circumstances?

Nick Vujicic has a saying: “If you don’t get a miracle, become one for someone else.” Nick was born without arms or legs. He prays for miraculous healing – and in the meantime, he communicates a powerful anti-bullying message so that other people can flourish.

Jesus reached out to the influential people in his culture. Most of them rejected him – and Jesus developed a rich community amongst people on the margins of society (Matthew 9:9-10).

A friend of mine, unable to meet with her whole church community at the moment, has been deliberate in inviting different people around for lunch each Sunday.

What can you do to build community at this time? Are there other ways that we can connect? Is this a chance to get to know some different people and make sure everyone is included?

Life doesn’t always go the way we want – and that is an opportunity to make it better for someone else.