It seems isolation and loneliness has often been associated with those who suffer from mobility, or mental health issues, however over the last few years we have come to recognise that people can lose connections for many reasons.  Moving to a new area, changes in life circumstances and the dreaded Covid lockdowns have all impacted on people’s ability and motivation to form meaningful connections.

At both Wodonga District and Albury Baptist churches, we have been seeking opportunities to show God’s love in the different situations of isolation in our cities, so we might bring people together and help to form deep friendships.

As we considered these challenges, we have been experimenting with three ideas that target particular groups.

Two years ago we were running different groups, each doing their own thing but individually struggling to sustain momentum.  We decided to try a different approach and roll the groups into one and the “Connections” group was formed. Connections is held fortnightly and kicks off with morning tea, before the 70 or so attendees move off to a variety of activities

The thing that seems to have made Connections work so well is the variety of options available.  There is a very keen group of carpet bowlers so we have invested in 4 mats to accommodate 24 bowlers.  Our longstanding craft group was incorporated. There are people who love their board games and then there are some who will just continue to sit and build friendships with others.   

Connections has grown to the point where we are considering if a second connections group will be needed.

Anyone is welcome with both couples and singles jumping into whichever activity they are drawn to on the day – the blokes in particular seem to enjoy the competition.

In addition to Connections, Coffee Mornings have been running for a few years with the aim of bringing women together for building social connections.  Once a month they pick a different café to meet at. Coffee Mornings have been so successful that the men felt like they were missing out, so now the men choose another café nearby and they meet separately.

With such a large group now turning up to Coffee Mornings, we are developing Mini Coffee Mornings, where smaller groups break off and meet more regularly to deepen the friendships started at the larger gatherings.

Another opportunity we have identified that has often been overlooked in the church and community is singles that live alone.  These people are often heavily invested in their career but poorly connected to the wider community.  Albury City Council tell us that as many as 70% of the houses in central Albury are occupied by just one adult.  In considering the needs of this group we are intending to bring people together by inviting them to join others at a park each week for dinner, to bring “Your Own Take Away” rather than eating at home alone.  The hope is to start this idea with local church goers that fit the group and then invite anyone from the community to join.

At Albury and Wodonga Baptist Churches we are committed to providing opportunities to alleviate the loneliness that so many people feel in our communities, with the goal of being and sharing the good news of Jesus. Please pray for us as we continue on this journey.