Belong gathers in person for the first time since spring 2020

There were plenty of big smiles and socially distanced hugs when our Belong disABILITY Ministry gathered in person on Sunday, May 2, for the first time in over a year.

Not wanting to miss any part of the day, several Belong participants and their families arrived 20 minutes early.

“Can you believe it's been a whole year?” said Carmen, a participant in Belong. “I'm glad I learned how to Zoom, but I like being together even better. It was a long time.”

Rev. Ramsey Jay, Director of Belong, was also incredibly excited to be back in person. “Having the Belong family back together in person for the first time in over a year felt like a homecoming,” she said. “Being able to be in the same space—singing, praying, laughing, celebrating Communion, and rejoicing in the Lord in one room together—it made for lots of goosebumps and happy tears.”

In addition to worship and Communion, this May Day service featured a kite-building station and raffles to win pies, coffees, and mugs from Chance's Pie & Coffee Shop.

“We are here at HPUMC because this is our son's community,” said Todd Bruning, Belong’s Manager of Chance’s. “As a teenager with autism, it isn't always easy to find community. The Feast is his community. It's more than friendship and larger than a family.”

For some of the participants who became a part of Belong over the past year, this was the first time they had ever gathered together in person with others in this community. Others, like Bruning’s son, were glad to return to a place where they feel “at home.”

“It's been a year and we almost forgot what that expression of confidence and appreciation on my son’s face looks like,” said Bruning. “To have that back again is simply beyond words.”

While Belong will begin meeting more regularly in person in June, there will still be some Zoom programming for those who don’t yet feel comfortable returning in person or are unable to do so for whatever reason. More details will be coming soon.