Community: Where You Belong

Connection, Encouragement, Belonging – community is essential, even for those who don’t feel they need it. People who come together develop a support system, fostering a sense of identity as individuals by sharing common values. Samantha Stein, author and psychologist at Psychology Today, writes, “We also learn about our history and culture. This can help us feel we have a place in the world, and that we are part of something important.”

• Society vs. Culture: Society refers to a group of people within the same geographical location. Culture encompasses people who share beliefs, traditions, and behaviors. They are used interchangeably but have distinct differences. For example, people who live in the same city may have different values.

 

Living in the same geographical area doesn’t automatically result in community. Individuals can be in a crowded space but feel distant from others, for example, in a school hallway. Community is cultivated through intentional time and even in occasional, uncomfortable conversations. The Centers for Disease Control says social isolation is “when a person does not have relationships or contact with others and has little to no social support” (para. 3). Social isolation can increase loneliness – a feeling of being disconnected from others.

 

• Did you know? The CDC explains, “Loneliness and social isolation may be shaped by conditions in the environments where people are born, live, work, learn, worship, and play. These conditions can affect the ability to connect socially. For example, the availability of resources that exist in a community, such as parks, libraries, public transportation, and programs, supports the development of social connections” (para. 4).

At Echoing Hills, we are committed to Revolutionizing lives where people live, learn, connect, play, and worship. Our faith and empathy for one another drive our passion for intentional community. We provide an inclusive and loving community for both our staff members and the individuals we serve, fostering a culture where relationships can thrive. The imperfect, the lonely, the outcast, those who haven’t found “their place,” can find home at Echoing Hills. We’re here and we care.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-the-wild-things-are/202307/the-importance-of-community#:~:text=A%20community%20provides%20belonging%2C%20support%2C%20and%20identity&text=They%20can%20also%20help%20us,develop%20a%20sense%20of%20identity.

https://helpfulprofessor.com/culture-vs-society/

https://www.cdc.gov/social-connectedness/risk-factors/index.html