Growing up in a small town, I attended church occasionally on Sunday and some youth events the church would have on Wednesday nights. I used church more as a time to be with friends, instead of learning about God. As I got older, I drifted further from church and God. When Regan and I got married, it was important to her to find a church in which we could raise our family. We thought we found that church, but after a year we just didn't feel connected to the congregation and felt like another face in the pews. Once again, I fell out of the routine of attending church and learning about God. A few years ago, Regan had been attending Morningstar UMC by herself. After a few months, she thought she found a new church home. She talked about how it was a smaller church and it reminded her a lot of the church in which she grew up. She also said that everyone was very friendly and it had a family atmosphere. So I started attending with her. It took me awhile to get into the routine of attending church on a regular basis, but after a couple of months, I knew this was the right place not only for my family, but for me too. People took time to get to know me and made me feel welcome from my first visit. During one Sunday's announcements, someone mentioned that many of the committees needed volunteers. At that time, I wasn't aware of the different volunteer opportunities within the church. After learning about the roles, I realized how important it was for the congregation to help with these tasks so that the work isn’t hired out. Most importantly, our church funds could be spread a little further and spent sharing the word of God. So I volunteered to mow and clean the church. While these tasks are more behind the scenes, they are still necessary in order for all to have a nice worship environment. I've also volunteered at the Home Sweet Home Mission which has allowed me to serve others in our community as God would want me to do. For many people, serving their church brings them closer to God. While the same is true for me, I have found the more I attend church and develop a fellowship with the congregation, the closer I feel to God and the more I want to serve him. Ryan Jimison — Morningstar UMC Lay Leadership Team