In May 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General declared loneliness an “epidemic” and compared its dangers to obesity and smoking. Some attribute this to the COVID 19 pandemic, but it’s not true. About half of adults reported loneliness even before the outbreak. We’re not talking about social isolation here. People are lonely even when they are connected and choose to belong to groups and organizations. The problem is that we’re missing intimate relationship. Our society has been headed this way for quite a while now. Despite our abilities and multiple avenues for relationship, we are talking to and spending less time with each other more than we ever have! The Church is no exception. Many articles I read indicated that the Church is just as lonely as the world. In a recent Harvard survey, 21% of adults surveyed reported serious feelings of loneliness. The loneliest group were people between 30-44 years old. 29% of this group reported frequently or always feeling lonely. Adults 65 & older were the least lonely. The Church was created for deep relationship and fellowship, meant to spend life together in community. We fail to fully realize the effect loneliness has on our spiritual and emotional being. What’s the answer to this epidemic? The Church is God’s answer to it, always has been. So what does the Church do when the culture affects it too? We enter into combat! We speak to it to change it through prayer and confession of the Word. We study it to find out what it says about fellowship, relationship, and then we do it. We intentionally reach out to one another to develop deep relationship. We combat it with love.“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35