Go To Church

Editor, Times-Union:
It’s been a recurring theme that civic and societal participation has been on the decline in the past several decades. Various organizations are seeing continuous declines in membership, less people are volunteering, and existing groups are dominated by individuals over 40 as millennials and Gen Z disengage at higher rates. This creates a decline in social capital and thus makes sense why our nation is very divided in the modern day. Fortunately, there is a way to reconnect with our community and do good work for our fellow man: go to church.
Your local church has opportunities to build fellowship with members of the community and serve the public. My own church has a chapter of the Knights of Columbus which provides multiple volunteer opportunities, and a men’s fellowship group where we can connect on shared experiences. It’s also a place where multiple ethnicities and ages come together, so it is a place to grow in unity and learn from each other. There are few institutions that offer as many opportunities for community, fellowship, and even friendship as a church. For that reason, try going and making a connection. You may find that you were missing something all along.
Brett Heinisch
Columbus, Ind., via email
formerly of Syracuse