“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” (Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10)

Dear church family,

I am Pastor Sophia. Have you ever tried moving a couch up the stairs by yourself? Oh, you can push, you can pull, you can pray—but without someone on the other end, you’re stuck halfway yelling to yourself, “Pivot! Pivot!” like a scene in a silly movie. Life is easier, sweeter, and sometimes even funnier when we are together.

That’s a picture I’ve been carrying in my heart this week. So often, we try to handle things by ourselves—our worries, our busyness, our struggles, even our joys. Yet life was never meant to be lived in isolation. From the very beginning, God has been drawing people together. God gave Abraham a family that became a nation. Jesus gathered disciples, not just one follower. The early church grew because men and women broke bread in one another’s homes, prayed for each other, and leaned on one another’s faith when their own felt weak.

The truth is, we need one another. We need encouragement, laughter, prayer, and sometimes even a strong shoulder to lean on. And yes—we also need to give those things away to others. That’s the holy exchange that makes the church not just an organization but a family.

As we step into worship this Sunday, I want to invite you to bring your whole self—your joys, your questions, your gratitude, even your weariness. Come knowing that you are not alone. Come expecting to be strengthened. Come ready to discover again what it means to walk this journey side by side, as God intended.

I am excited for the word that God has placed on my heart for us this week. I am excited for our fellowship luncheon that we will have after the service. I believe it will challenge us but also encourage us in a beautiful way.

So, dear friends, you are not alone. Bring your family, invite a neighbor, call a friend who might need a reminder that they don’t have to walk alone. Let’s gather with open hearts and see what God will do among us.

With love and anticipation,

Sophia (Seung Hae) Yoo-Hess
Pastor of Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church
43987 Little River TPK, Chantilly, Virginia
Office: (703) 327- 4461