Storyline Fall 2018

Value of
CONNECTING
WRITTEN BY GRANT SYLVESTER
Hey There!
I hope you’ve had a great summer ...
Although it went too fast, I trust you had a chance to recharge
and connect with friends and family. As we head into the fall
it’s also my hope that you will take the opportunity to connect
with the FAC family. It really could change your life! I mean it!
I believe that when the church is at its best, it’s the most
life-giving, difference-making community in the world. It’s
full of people who don’t have their act together but willingly
acknowledge their need to come together to celebrate and
to encourage each other. And this idea of coming together
– of being connected – is huge! In fact it’s one of our core
commitments.
A while back, Edward Hallowell and a team of researchers
from Harvard medical school discovered that the two most
powerful and meaningful experiences in life are achieving
(reaching a goal or accomplishing something) and connecting
(relating to someone in a significant way).
According to Hallowell, our society is becoming more and
more obsessed with achieving while at the same time
becoming increasingly bankrupt when it comes to connecting.
Achieving is not bad, of course, but research shows that it’s
no substitute for connecting. People who excel at achieving
but fail at connecting end up unhappy people. The old saying
is true: “Nobody on their deathbed looks back on life and
wishes they had spent more time at the office.”
By contrast, people who were connected and had meaningful
relationships, even if they weren’t great at achieving goals, still
report life as being fulfilling.
In our new life with God, we all need the encouragement and
accountability of others in order to grow strong and flourish
in this journey.
6