Dhrumil Shah
Our family moved to Illinois and started attending The Orchard in late 2018. Building community is hard; it is a slow, arduous process that takes work and was something we tried to focus on in 2019. Then comes 2020. Not only did we still feel “new” to the area, but we also now faced trying to build community during a pandemic. We didn’t have a strategy for how to proceed. After several months of worshiping online and not being able to meet others, we decided to get involved with the Vernon Hills congregation. We joined a LIFE Group, and it has been an answer to prayer. Our group has been a source of encouragement, accountability, and growth in our relationship with Christ. ElisaBeth and I are grateful to enjoy this type of community again: fellowship that is centered around Christ and truly makes each of us stronger than we would be without this group. It’s only God’s humor that joining a new congregation during a pandemic and a LIFE Group on Zoom is what He had in mind to help us find community.