Last Friday I wandered up the street to see the opening ceremony and I was struck by how wonderful it was to simply be amongst all of the people.

It was great to hear people using their musical gifts so that we could enjoy them. It was interesting to hear various people speak a little bit about the festival and its importance to them.

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And I really enjoyed the opportunity to bump into, and have a chat with at least half a dozen people, some of whom I hadn't seen for ages! Even in the short time I was able to be up there it was a real joy.

I think that what made me appreciate it is just how often moments like this have been canceled in the past couple of years.

Over that time we have endured long periods of isolation from one another. Many of us have experienced the frustration of missing birthday celebrations, holidays, and special occasions which we would normally look forward to.

I have talked to people who have missed out on meeting new grandchildren for long periods of time because COVID isolation rules have kept them from their loved ones.

Tragically I have watched people miss out on the final few moments with loved ones because rules have kept them from the side of hospital beads and nursing homes.

It has been a really hard two years.

Yet it is also true to say that quite apart from COVID, people are probably more isolated in their day-to-day lives than ever before. Even though we live in a time when we have more ability than ever to connect with people through mobile phones and the internet, the truth is that many people are experiencing less and less true human connection.

It is easy to find statistics from some of the riches, more affluent nations in the world, such as Australia and the United States, which show that as time goes on we feel more and more lonely and isolated, and that our mental health is declining as a result.

The fact is, we are in a world where it is possible to have 1000 friends of Facebook yet feel totally alone.

Of course God has made us too long for connection and relationship with other people. None of us were intended to live as an island, sectioned off from the rest of the world. So it shouldn't surprise us that people struggle when isolated. And technology, as wonderful a tool as it so often is, is no substitute for true human connection.

Yes I was glad a couple of years ago when in America that I could pick up my phone and video call my family regularly. But that had nothing on the enthusiastic cuddles kids gave me when I came home.

Sure I was thankful that during COVID isolation times I could connect with my church family through YouTube services and zoom meetings. But that was nowhere near as joyful as the first Sunday back together as people being just to be in one another's company again. And few things give me such joy as watching that Church family love and support and care for one another in very real and human ways, both small and large.

This kind of human connection is something we are wired for. So I am so glad that more and more we are able to experience it. And so thank you to those in our town who put in the time and energy to make a little bit of community happen over the weekend.

And thank you to everyone who works hard at different times and in different ways, to bring people together and help us experience something of the connection we were created to need.