Whenever anyone visits a new church, one of the things that crosses your mind is "How am I ever going to feel like part of this group?" We've all been there. The truth is, it's easy to feel alone even in a room of several hundred people. We try to counter that as much as we can by going out of our way to meet and greet guests at our weekly meetings. But in order to go beyond feeling like a guest to being part of a group, it requires a little thing called getting connected.

All of us have had to do this at various times in our lives. We've all had to get connected in different social networks. When we went to Kindergarten, we had to make friends with other kids in order to feel accepted. Whenever our families moved and we had to start a new school, the same thing happened all over again. Once we went to college, we joined social groups and made new friends. Many times, people find their future spouse at college. When we start a new job, we introduce ourselves and begin to get connected in the company social structure. Upon moving to a new neighborhood, we meet our neighbors and connect once again in the new community.

It's the same thing with church. Getting connected in any type of social community requires us to take the initiative. We look for people we don't know and make their acquaintance. Over time, those acquaintances grow into friendships, which eventually grow into deep personal connections. But it all starts with the initiative to stick out your hand and say, "Hi. I'm                     .

There are several ways to get connected at Xenia Church of Christ. Stay for a fellowship meal, attend a Bible class, or hang out and meet as many people as you can. Maybe the best way to get connected, beyond making acquaintances, is to join a small group. We have several that meet around Greene County. Small Groups are great because you're never dealing with the whole church at one time. You can relax, go slow, and connect in meaningful ways. Check out the Small Groups section to get a sense of what they're like and where they meet.

Getting connected is a great thing. It's allows you to break down barriers and experience the love of God with others who are following his lead in life. Now, that's church as it was meant to be.