Connection strikes a chord
News
Over recent months I’ve found myself pondering the innate human longing for connection.
Whether at school, work, the gym or within our own families, there’s a deep-seated desire for a place where we can authentically express ourselves without reservation.
We seek out events and gatherings where we can unite over shared interests, be it music, sports, or other common passions, finding solace and connection within the crowd.
Brené Brown, a renowned researcher and author, says in her book, Daring Greatly, that connection is the reason we’re here. She writes that we are ‘hardwired to connect with others, it’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it, there is suffering.’
Stepping into unfamiliar territory or attending an event we know little about demands a considerable degree of vulnerability.
I was truly inspired by the 30 people who bravely walked through the doors of the Cathedral Hall last month and were responding to the invitation to join something new.
I wanted to create an opportunity for people to gather and sing but to let go of the burden of commitment.
I call it the Sunday Night Choir. With just a handful of posters and an invitation to local churches, I set up the piano on a Sunday evening, unsure if anyone would venture out amidst their busy schedules for the simple joy of singing together.
We have a strange obsession with priding ourselves on ‘busyness’ and constantly making lists of priorities where connection and joy are often relegated to the bottom. However, amidst the chaos of everyday life, I was deeply grateful for those 30 strangers who carved out time from their hectic week to participate.
Brown’s poignant observation about the armour of busyness struck a chord with me. She writes: ‘Crazy-busy is a great armour. It’s a great way of numbing. What a lot of us do is stay so busy, and so out in front of our life, that the truth of how we’re feeling and what we really need can’t catch up with us.’
Within a church community, we are drawn to the sense of connection, love, and belonging that being together in a time of worship brings us. If you have found a community of people who meet regularly and share a belief that is similar to yours and you feel like you can be your true self, then you have a treasure. It is the Church’s mission to build bridges and foster environments where we are all welcomed and embraced.
Amongst the many differences in our preferences for worship and liturgical celebration, as Catholics, we are ultimately united in the Eucharist – the shared experience of coming together, partaking in a meal, and acknowledging the presence of Christ among us. However, this concept isn’t always the first thing that draws people to walk into a church. Meeting people where they are and extending genuine hospitality can lead to profound encounters with the divine.
Easter and Christmas are wonderful times of celebration and an opportunity for our church communities to renew our commitment to invite people into this sense of belonging and spiritual development.
Embracing curiosity and allowing the questions, even in the absence of all the answers, may pave the way for transformative encounters and spiritual growth.
It may be the mending of a broken heart and it is the building of God’s Kingdom. Our visitors are on their own spiritual journey which is an honour for anyone to witness and walk beside.
Just as the Sunday Night Choir welcomes individuals every first Sunday of the month, walking into the Adelaide Cathedral Hall does not mean you need to be Catholic or you need to commit to performances or every rehearsal to join. We welcome the curious, the lonely and the brave. While the fruits of these endeavours may remain uncertain, we are excited to walk beside each other in our desire to belong and connect and sing.
For more details about the Sunday Night Choir, visit ofw-adelaide.org.au/sundaynightchoir or call Lauren Bierer from Community Life and Worship on 8210 8107.
Jump to next article
