One of the saddest and unfortunate fallouts of the Covid pandemic is the decline in church attendance. Pre-Covid church goers (including some Christians) have opted to not return to church out of fear or the belief that worshipping alone in the comfort of their home is just as beneficial as in-person worship with fellow believers. God does not intend for us to be lonely and isolated. Rather, God calls us for community – calling us into a relationship with him and other human beings. The Christian community , the Church, is the community of our Lord Jesus.


The community of Jesus is the most wonderful community on earth. This community is held together by love – love in action toward our Christian brothers and sisters. In Hebrews 13:1-23 the writer identifies certain defining traits that should be characteristics of Christian community;
1. Extend hospitality – “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers.” (v.2)
2. Help those in need – “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves in the body.” (v.3)
3. Honor marriage – “Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” (v.4)
4. Be content – “Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (v.5)
5. Please God – “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” (vv. 15-16)


Similar to today, in chapter 30 of Ezekiel he speaks of the community that does not know the Lord. They relied on their wealth, their proud strength, their arrogance, their complacency and their idol worship. He predicts the judgment day when ‘they will know that I am Lord’.


How thankful we should be that in America we have the freedom of worship. Just like the early church Jesus calls believers to assemble and fellowship together and to be a community of love, hospitality, help, faithfulness and contentment. Doing so pleases our Lord and Savior by our worship, serving and giving.