In the midst of life’s chaos, we all need a safe place to run to. For me, my church stands as a sanctuary, my home away from home. Within its walls, I find belonging and a shared faith that binds us together. It’s not just a place of worship; it’s where I find rest and comfort.

It has never been easy to open up to many people, or even want to be around a lot of people all the time. Little did I know that Grand Central Collective would be my home church, and I would be part of the most lovely community I could ever be around.

What does it mean to be part of a collective?

The word collective is a noun, adjective, and a very with all different meanings that come together as one.
-It is a group of people acting together
-A flock marked by similarity, and considered whole through unity, and it also means
-Stronger as one body in Christ.

From my own personal experience, a collective means becoming part of a family that supports, loves, and understands you. It’s having a community be your family as if you have known them your whole life.

Ever since I could remember, change has never been good for me. When I moved to Santa Clarita, it was not easy to make friends or find a place where I truly belonged. My life was forever changed when I met my boyfriend who has a firm foundation in what he believes in. Additionally, I found a church with some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met.

My first experience was when I went to their youth group lock-in event, and from the minute I stepped into Grand Central Collective, I felt accepted by the Youth Pastors Adam and Hailey. Ever since, I have continued to go to youth groups every Thursday night, knowing that I am able to be myself with everyone makes me feel so at peace and loved.

My home away from home is not only somewhere I am at constantly, but also with people who continue to make me feel important and comforted when life becomes too much. I have people to lean on, support me in my life journey, and depend on when I need them.

I went to Sunday service, and was immediately surrounded by people who all have a love for God and care so much. The Head Pastor and his wife, Darrell and Terry Maston, are the most supportive and warm-hearted people who are lovely to all they meet as well as serving in the church.

Everyone needs a community who they can sort of escape to and feel comfortable with, whether that is at church, with friends, or extended family. We all need people to make life full and enjoyable and I hope that everyone one day is able to find a collective.

After a year of going to church, I was baptized in the summer of 2023 in front of the whole church and I felt uplifted by everyone that day. My devotion to the church and being part of a community made my whole family be a big part of it too.

Ever since I have been going to Grand Central Collective, my life has been forever changed thanks to the whole church that has been by my side through the ups and downs. Having a community, a collective, makes everything better in life.

To further explain how much community means to other people, I asked people from my church what being part of a collective means to them and these were their responses.

Whether you are or are not a Christian, we all need relationships to survive, that is how we are made. Collective is a word that describes a group of people acting together, stronger as one body in Christ. What is your collective?