Rev. Jennifer Lambert
As we turn the page to September, routines begin to shift. Summer travel slows, grandchildren return to school, and calendars start to refill. For some, this means returning to worship in person at the church or synagogue they call home.
It’s easy to ask: Does it really matter if I show up in person? My answer is a wholehearted yes, because being together matters. Worship isn’t just about hearing a sermon or singing a hymn. It’s about belonging. It’s about sitting beside someone who knows your name, sharing a cup of coffee after the service, and hearing the familiar prayers spoken aloud in sacred space.
Churches and synagogues are more than just buildings. They are anchoring communities where we mark the most meaningful moments of life: births and deaths, birthdays and anniversaries, holidays and heartbreaks, joys and milestones. When we show up, we bear witness to each other’s lives. We remind one another that we’re not alone. That’s no small thing.
In a world where isolation has quietly become one of the greatest threats to health and happiness, these communities offer something enduring: hope, connection, and purpose.
At Sun Lakes United Methodist Church (UMC), we don’t claim to be perfect, but we do claim each other. We welcome new faces, honor longstanding friendships, and seek to live out Jesus’ commandments: Love God. Love one another.
Whether it’s in a pew or on a prayer walk, in a circle of study or a quiet sanctuary, I hope you’ll consider reconnecting this fall. You don’t have to go it alone.
And, by the way, if you are homebound, recovering from illness, or traveling, the next best thing is to join us online. We see you. We pray for you. And we’re grateful you’re part of the community, even when you’re not in the room.
If you’re looking for a connection, Sun Lakes UMC worships at 9 a.m. on Sunday mornings at 9248 E. Riggs Road in Sun Lakes.