Blessings OCC Family,

At Midwinter 2026, President Tammy Swanson-Draheim gave us a hopeful charge to the entire body of the Evangelical Covenant Church, she said: “In a season marked by uncertainty, fear, and deep fatigue, we must remember who we are-and resist withdrawal and division.” Today, I want to echo that same call to our church family.

The writer of Ecclesiastes understood something about human nature and it is that: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help” (4:9-10).

When life gets hard, and it has been hard, our instinct is often to pull back, to protect ourselves, to withdraw into isolation. We are tired. We’re uncertain about the future of our world.

But what we know is God’s design is different. God’s design for us is community. The Scripture in Ecclesiastes continues on telling us: “Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken”(4:11-12).

Church, we are better together. Not just a little better, we are significantly, powerfully, eternally better. When one of us stumbles, another lifts up. When one grows cold, another provides warmth. When challenges come against us, we stand stronger side by side.

President Tammy’s invitation is timely: Stay together. Don’t withdraw. Don’t let division and isolation win.

In the days ahead, resist the urge to pull away. Lean in to one another. Make the phone call. Show up to the gathering. Reach out to someone who’s struggling. Let someone in on your hard so that they can come alongside.

We are better together. So, let’s stay together.

Prayer: Lord, give us courage to resist isolation and embrace one another, especially when it’s hard. Amen.

We are better together,

Rev. Tam