What is the importance of church for Christians? -

What is so important about church? How does Church help me immerse myself in God’s presence?

What is the importance of church for Christians?

Your alone time with God is the most vital because it builds the relationship God wishes with us; however, coming together as a group of believers is like all of a parent’s children visiting for Christmas. God loves us, and for Christians to come together to praise and worship him brings joy that we cannot fathom. And it brings us together with like-minded people. Imagine the early church, Jews and Gentiles coming together under one roof to worship God together. We receive a verbal message placed on a pastor’s heart by God, we hear praise and worship music divinely inspired, and we fellowship. Church is not a building, it is the group of people who care for us, look forward to seeing us, and keep us accountable when we stray. You can be a Christian without church, but immersion in Christ requires more than just ourselves.

“And let us consider together how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25

Photographer’s Notes– Capturing ‘Sanctuary’

For this exhibition entry, I would love to say this image was well thought through and planned for weeks and captured when all the elements were aligned; but that is not the case. I was traveling back from a photoshoot and almost didn’t stop, but my wife, Kathleen talked me into it at the last minute. The sun, church, leaves are all original color; very little editing was needed to bring this picture to life.

I shot this image with an EF 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. This picture was captured at ISO 200 and f/16.0 for clarity, detail and to create sun flare. I used a faster shutter speed of 1/500 since it was shot handheld to prevent blurring. Minimal edits completed in Adobe Lightroom.

Photography and Writing by: Jon Frederick, Lead Photographer for Seven11