Belonging: On Paper, In Community, and In God’s Image

by Sharon K. Williams

Along the way, we have assisted fire and flood victims; survivors of domestic abuse, addictions, and human trafficking; returning citizens; young people applying for their first jobs; and low-income families seeking housing and registering their children for school. We have built partnerships with various ministries in our city and trained other agencies to do what we do. It’s a great way to build connections and strengthen our ability to share the love of Jesus.

Society’s way of honoring each person’s presence and worth starts with these identity documents. Adam Russell Taylor, president of Sojourners, writes,

I always start with the concept of imago dei [the image of God]. Genesis 1:26–27 says that God created human beings in God’s own image and likeness. While democratic systems are always imperfect, I still strongly believe they provide the best way to honor and affirm every person’s dignity, prevent the abuse of power, and advance the common good. Voting [registration is based on these identity documents] is our voice; it’s what lends our democratic system its legitimacy and what enables us to hold our elected officials accountable. (“What Most Concerned Me About Trump’s State of the Union,” February 25, 2026)

Finding good, affordable housing in Norristown is a challenge, as it is in many places. We are praying with several people who are seeking better places to live. Recently, we went to special lengths to help a person in our congregation get an elusive birth certificate—only to discover that the birth had never been recorded. “But I’m a real person!” this person exclaimed. This situation is unimaginable but it’s not the first time we have encountered it. It resulted in the person’s inability to apply for government-aided senior housing. But God had another plan—an apartment owned by someone associated with our congregation. Talk about connections!

We are also praying for the Norristown Hospitality Center which, ironically, is seeking a new home for its ministry to the unhoused and persons with very low income. In 1990, NVNNL was one of the founding congregations of the Hospitality Center. Last year, the center lost its lease in a facility close to our church that is owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Philadelphia. The Hospitality Center actively partnered with us in the Photo ID Clinic, providing hosting, staff, and financial aid to supplement our volunteers and funding, including a Missional Operations Grant from Mosaic Conference. It was a perfect partnership. But the center’s tenuous situation in a temporary location has caused the clinics to be put on hold.

All of this is happening at a time when people in our pews and communities are being pushed and stretched more than ever. We are praying every week in an interfaith gathering for God’s protection and provision for the people of our city. Please pray with us for new, effective ways to extend God’s love to our neighbors and those in need.