There’s something about late August that feels like a new beginning.

School classrooms are filling again. Sunday school, confirmation, youth groups, choirs, committees, and other church programs are beginning a new year. And wherever people are gathering, there’s often that slightly awkward first step:

We need to get to know each other.

I remember this well from my art-teaching days. A new group doesn’t become a community simply because everyone is sitting in the same room. We need opportunities to laugh together, discover something about one another, and begin feeling comfortable enough to participate.

That’s exactly why we created Faith & Fun Charades.

And because it’s a digital download, you can print it today and have it ready for your next gathering.

Of course, you don’t need a game to help a new group connect. A good beginning can be as simple as asking a question people actually enjoy answering: What always makes you laugh? What is something you’re really good at? What is one thing you're curious about?

The goal isn’t to learn everything about one another in the first gathering.

It’s simply to make it a little easier for someone to think, I might belong here.

Here’s to new beginnings, new groups, and plenty of laughter along the way.