09/03/2026
“I don’t believe in God, but I miss him.”
These words by essayist Julian Barnes capture something about where so many people find themselves: having left behind faith, but finding a gap in its absence that can’t be filled. Others of us may still believe in God, but for one reason or another–wounds from the past, unanswered nagging questions, or a pace of life that’s overwhelmed us–haven’t been connected to Him in any meaningful way in recent memory.
God is unavoidable– “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence (Psalm 139:7)?” No matter what we do in our lives to separate ourselves from him, we aren’t able to give him up any easier than we can give up breath. And so instead we have a gnawing ache that doesn’t quite go away, longing for something that we can’t quite grasp.
The good news is that God is always eager to be found. We believe that he draws near to us in the church through word and symbol, through people and practices, to show us his heart for those who have wandered. We want to be a people who make space for others to share their fears, questions, and suspicions. And as Christ draws near to us in our doubts and fears, we will find that the Christian story is more strange, beautiful, and captivating than we ever could have thought possible.