Sunday 1 November 2026

The Joy of Belonging and Fellowship

Have you ever watched Samoa and Tonga play in the Rugby League World Cup? What a sight! The players run onto the field, the Siva Tau and Sipi Tau begin, the crowd goes wild, and suddenly everyone is waving flags, singing, cheering, and feeling proud!

You can almost hear people shouting, “That’s my team! That’s my country!” Even those who have never played a minute of rugby become expert coaches from their lounge chairs! Everyone has an opinion, and everyone gets caught up in the excitement!

There is something beautiful about that. These players represent their families, villages, and nations. They stand together, work together, and celebrate together. They know they are part of something bigger than themselves.

That is the joy of belonging!

Through Jesus, we belong to God and to one another. 1 Corinthians 12:27 says, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”

Church is more than turning up on Sunday, singing a few hymns, listening to a sermon, and heading home for lunch! It is about sharing life. It means having people who encourage us when life gets hard, celebrate our good news, and notice when we are absent because they care.

We may come from different backgrounds, speak different languages, support different rugby teams, and have different opinions about who should have won last weekend! But in Christ, we are one family

After all, the church is not just a place we attend. It is a family we belong to!

So, let us keep the fellowship strong, the welcome warm, and the love flowing. And remember, in God’s family, there is always room for one more!

Amen.