Reflection on Community

By Deven Riley

Finding community in a new town, a new church, and a new stage of life was a looming unknown for me and something that I had some hesitant reservations about before packing up and moving to Davidson, NC. Those fears, worries, and question marks could not have been dismantled more quickly by the overwhelming hospitality and genuine welcome of the Storyhill church family and the small liberal arts college town, which embraced us with open arms.

Getting more specific to the current Fellows class, it didn't take us long to connect after we got past the initial veneer of awkward name-learning and face recognizing. I could spend the rest of my allotted word count describing each Fellow individually, delving into the beautifully magnificent ways God has artfully constructed their character, hearts, and minds, but we'll have to settle for a quick overview of the highlights.

“Intentionality” is one of the first words that comes to mind when I think about our group's identity. This takes shape through asking great questions in conversations, offering open invitations for both planned and spontaneous outings, delivering freshly picked flowers as a Sabbath sercy, praying for specific trials or triumphs in the mountains and valleys of life, or simply looking out for one another and refusing to let someone go unseen or unheard. I feel that the Fellows embody what it means to live your life on a mission with other believers.

One of my favorite characteristics of God is the playful way He uses irony to hint at His sovereign hand through the unfolding of our lives. Remembering the uncertain skepticism I felt toward finding community in the Fellows program compared to the loving family it has become has been a tangible reminder that God has each of us where He wants us.