First Fridays and Forever Fellowship: A Better Vision for Community

What would it take to feel a real sense of community?

I know that’s an open question. First, what do we mean by "community"? Are we talking about a geographic group? A shared interest? Or are we really looking for that deeper sense of belonging, support, and connection?

It’s amazing what you can find just by searching online for what’s going on in our cities, towns, and villages. As I looked into it, I noticed something:

Many community events seem disconnected from what people are truly yearning for in their lives.

Most of these events are designed to foster social connections that will (hopefully) lead to greater community engagement and economic growth and by all means, there’s nothing wrong with that.

But I fear many people walk into these events hoping for more and leave still feeling disconnected.

Here’s the reality:

Many show up to monthly, quarterly, or yearly events thinking, “Maybe if I just get out there among my neighbors, I'll finally feel like I belong.”

But if you’ve been there and I know many of us have, you still leave feeling like something’s missing. This is something I’ve seen and experienced firsthand over the years attending events here in Clermont.

A typical scenario for us looks like this:

My wife and I find parking, make our way toward the crowded streets filled with food vendors, music blasting from speakers, people laughing and eating, kids crying and running around, and conversations happening everywhere.

It’s lively, even beautiful in its own way. Eventually, you bump into someone you haven’t seen in years. You share a quick hug, some small talk about how much you’ve missed each other, maybe a few laughs... but then you move on.

No number exchanged. No plans made. Just a moment and it’s gone and sadly, this has become "normal" for many.

We’ve settled for a version of community that’s made up of brief encounters instead of real connection.

But there has to be more.

So, what’s a possible solution?

We, as the Church, need to do a better job at these events not by being preachy, but by offering something deeper: the Gospel itself, which fosters true community and encourages real relationships.

As Scripture reminds us:

"All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation... Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us." (2 Corinthians 5:18–20).

We are called to show real concern, real care, and real open conversations offering people not just social interaction, but the hope of reconciliation and belonging in Christ.

We know that every person carries a deep, God-given need to belong to a healthy, life-giving community.

And here's the thing: engaging with our community doesn’t have to be complicated.

It starts by asking, "What do we naturally enjoy?" and then using those natural, relatable activities to build bridges with our neighbors.

Here in Clermont, we have First Friday Food Trucks held the first Friday of every month, with food trucks lined up downtown and live music filling the streets.

As a church plant, we see this as a perfect opportunity.

Our plan is simple but intentional.

We’re bringing a couple of dominoes tables, knowing that in our largely Hispanic community, dominoes are a familiar and welcoming way to connect.

We’ll set them up, leave a chair open at each table, and simply invite friends and strangers to come play a game or two with us. It’s simple, but powerful. This is the heart of our vision as a church:

To create natural spaces where meaningful conversations can happen, where genuine friendships can start, and where those struggling to find community can be seen, welcomed, and loved.

We believe true community isn’t built on quick hellos or crowded events alone. It’s built slowly, intentionally with hearts open to the work God wants to do through simple acts of love, presence, and kindness.

First Fridays are fun, but our hope is to offer something even better: Forever Fellowship.

A community that points not just to connection for a night, but to connection that lasts for eternity.