The Power of Fellowship

This Saturday, CPCM will gather for our summer fellowship & potluck—a simple, joyful event. But behind the shared laughter and food, there is something deeper: biblical fellowship. It’s not just about eating together. It’s about being together as the family of God.

In Acts 2:42, the early church is described this way: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” That word—fellowship—is the Greek word “koinonia” (κοινωνία), which means fellowship, sharing, partnership, or communion. It means sharing life. It means walking together in Christ, not just side by side, but heart to heart.

Too often we treat church as something we attend—like a service or a sermon—when in reality, it’s not just about me and God. It’s about us—gathering as a family, building one another up, and sharing life together in Christ. The church community is who we are. We are the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27), and that means we’re connected. We need each other. Fellowship is how we remind one another of God’s faithfulness, build each other up, and bear one another’s burdens.

At a summer potluck gathering, the setting is casual—but the connection is sacred. Galatians 6:2 tells us to “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” We do that when we gather—not only in prayer circles, but also around picnic tables, in conversation, in laughter, in real-life moments shared.

Jesus often met people over meals. He ate with tax collectors and sinners. He fed the five thousand. He broke bread with His disciples the night before He was crucified. Why? Because meals make space for relationships. They slow us down. They open us up. They remind us we are human—and that we belong.

Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together… but encouraging one another.” Encouragement doesn’t always come through formal teaching. Sometimes it comes through a story told in the shade, a kind word while flipping burgers, or a child’s laughter echoing in the background.

Fellowship is how God grows His church—not just in numbers, but in unity. When we show up for one another in these moments, we’re declaring: You matter. You’re not alone. We’re in this together because Christ has brought us together.

So as we gather this Saturday, come ready to do more than eat. Come ready to listen. To laugh. To pray. To connect. Look for someone you don’t know well. Thank someone who’s been a quiet encouragement in your life. Share your story. Hear theirs.

Because when believers come together in love, something powerful happens: the world sees Jesus more clearly.