I remember when I was appointed to my first church and how disconnected and isolated I felt. During my first week, my phone rang. Rev. John Cordes invited me to a nearby diner for lunch, along with his exceptional lay leader, Rolly Loomis.

John, Rolly, and I met together at that diner many times. We shared joys and concerns, solved the world’s problems, and worked on sermon illustrations. Those lunches became a lifeline for me. They reminded me that ministry was never meant to be lived alone.

Today, I want to invite you to take a moment to open this newly created map of the churches in our districts across Eastern PA and Greater NJ. Use this map as a devotion. Look at the congregations around you and pray for the people and ministries represented there.

And then, if you have not already done so, take the next step. Invite someone from a neighboring church to coffee or lunch. Take time to meet those who are new to your area. Invite laity to join the conversation. Get to know one another—not simply as names on a map, but as people who are sharing the joys, challenges, and hopes of ministry.

As United Methodists, we believe in the power of connection. We know that we will never fully know God until we know one another.

I give thanks to God to this day for those lunches with John and Rolly. They began with a simple invitation, but they became so much more: friendship, encouragement, wisdom, and connection when I needed it most.

I invite you to take a moment today to look up your neighboring congregations. Pray for a church nearby. Then pick up the phone. Invite someone to lunch.

You never know when a simple invitation might become a lifeline for someone else.

Note: If you notice any incorrect information on the map, please email Resource Administrator Andrea Wren-Hardin at awrenhardin@epagnj.org.