I hope your week is off to a good start. On Sunday, we began our new series, The Belonging Project, where we’re talking about our most profound need—not just for food, safety, and rest—but for a place and a people to belong to.
We looked at 2 Corinthians 8:1–15, where Paul points to a church that didn’t have much and was struggling in many ways, yet they lived with a generosity that didn’t make sense on paper.
They did not give because someone pressured them, too, and not because they were comfortable. They gave because they had already given themselves to the Lord, and that shaped how they cared for others.
Their generosity came from belonging—belonging to Christ and belonging to one another. And that belonging didn’t stay private. It worked itself out in community, in care, in family.
Paul invites the Corinthians into that same way of life, and it’s the same invitation extended to us. Not to prove ourselves, not to impress God, but to reflect the One who has already welcomed us into belonging.
When we give our time, our attention, our tables, our homes, our patience, our compassion—we are saying with our lives:
You don’t have to earn a place to belong. Jesus has already made room.
And in creating a sense of belonging for others, we often discover it more deeply for ourselves—like our Live Big Moment.
Tonight, we’re asking God to form belonging in us, not just in what we say, but in how we live.
🙏 Softened hearts that repent, surrender, and give themselves first to the Lord
🙏 Freedom from fear, scarcity, and comparison
🙏 Readiness that matches follow-through in generosity
🙏 Joy in giving according to what we have
🙏 Wisdom to “excel in this grace” with time, money, and attention
🙏 Open hearts, tables, and spaces that create belonging this week
🙏 Care for individuals and families facing food insecurity
🙏 Provision for individuals and families impacted by layoffs, rising costs, or reduced benefits
🙏 Courage to notice and take action in practically meeting needs where we live, work, and play
🙏 Maintaining unity across differences so no one is overlooked in God’s family
🙏 People of all ages and backgrounds to belong in gospel community and purpose
🙏 Accountability to “finish the work” we started as a church
🙏 A clear witness that in Jesus everyone is seen, known, and belongs
Belonging becomes real among us when it’s rooted in Jesus and shared with others. It looks like open hands and open lives shaped by the love He gave so we could belong.
Join us tonight at 7 pm on Zoom as we slow down, pray, and let the Holy Spirit form us into a people who know and show, in everyday life, the gift Jesus offers to all:
You are seen.
You are heard.
You are known.
You are valued.
You are loved.
You belong.
God Bless,
Pastor Alvin & Mallary Brown
alvin@makingamosaic.com :: mallary@makingamosaic.com
P.S. Is there something specific you need prayer for this week? Just drop us a comment, and we’d be honored to pray for and with you.