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Welcom to the Forum!

A little boy wants to make his father happy. He wants to buy him a gift, but he doesn’t have any money. So he turns to his father and asks him for a few coins. Now he has money, but the gift he wants to get is in a store, and the store is in town. Again, he needs the help of his father. Once in the store, he finds that the gift is way up on the shelf. The father has to lift him up. Same thing at the register. Having returned back home, the son, beaming and proud, hands the father his gift.

A sweet little story but strictly speaking one could argue that the father himself was the generous giver here. In the end, he had to accompany and help his son at every step of the way, and he was even the one paying for it all. 

If, however, the father had done everything himself, the outcome wouldn’t have been the same. In the way that it happened, the father, in fact, made it possible for the son to be something he could not have become on his own: a gift-giver.

This story illustrates how God relates to us. God does not need man, but God allows man to share in his saving work. Man is given the grace to take part in God’s work, and this actually shows the true greatness of God. Man is not kept in a completely inactive dependency, but rather he is equipped with the power to do good.
And this is exactly the reason there is a congregation. God does not need the congregation, but he wants the congregation so that through her we can become active sharers in the divine work of salvation. 
In this way, man, who through sin causes so much woe and pain in the world, is now enabled and empowered to bring healing and share in God’s redemptive work. Fallen man, in a way, is rehabilitated in the congregation. He can live as a new creation.

So God doesn’t need the congregation, but we need the congregation, and that is exactly why she was given to us as a means to salvation!

Hi Alexey, welcome to JWTalk!
I see you’re from Ukraine—a place with a deep history and some beautiful scenery.
If you’re in the mood to browse, the Photo Gallery (scenery shots are always a treat) is easy to enjoy, and some folks like the quiet reading without pressure to post.
Thanks for joining us—looking forward to whatever you feel like sharing as you get settled.

Hi Alice, welcome to JWTalk!
São Paulo is such a lively place—I imagine there’s always something happening around you.
You might enjoy browsing the Photo Gallery, especially the nature shots people share, and the activity feed is a nice way to see what conversations are moving along.
Thanks for joining us here, and I’m glad you’re with us—I’m looking forward to seeing what you feel like sharing over time.
 

Hi Alexandre, welcome to JWTalk!
Seeing Ukraine on your profile made me smile — there’s a lot of strength and beauty tied to that part of the world. You might enjoy browsing the Photo Gallery, especially the nature shots people share, and there’s also plenty of room here to just read quietly without any pressure to jump in right away. Thanks for joining us, and I’m looking forward to whatever you feel like sharing in time.

Hi Alter, welcome to JWTalk!
It’s nice to have you here. I see you’re from the Lake Chapala area—beautiful place, and I imagine the scenery and weather don’t disappoint.
You’ll find this is a friendly, encouraging forum. Many enjoy browsing the ongoing discussions or spending some quiet time in the photo gallery when they feel like reading rather than posting.
One small note that may help: since the forum works in English, most brothers use translation software when posting. That usually makes things smoother and helps everyone follow along easily.
Thanks for joining us, and we’re glad you’re here. Looking forward to getting to know you and seeing what you’d like to share.

Hi João, welcome to JWTalk!
Qta Conde looks like a pleasant place to call home—close enough to enjoy the quiet, with plenty of life around it too. If you’re in the mood to browse, the Photo Gallery has some great scenery shots that are easy to linger over, and the Files Library has a few helpful downloads you can explore at your own pace.
Thanks for joining us, João. Glad you’re here, and I’m looking forward to whatever you feel like sharing when the time’s right.

Hi Alex—welcome to JWTalk! Atlanta has such a great mix of city energy and green spaces; it always sounds like a place where there’s something going on. You might enjoy browsing the Photo Gallery, especially the scenery shots people share, and there’s also a lot tucked away in the Files Library that members have found useful. Thanks for joining us, and I’m looking forward to seeing what you decide to jump into here.

@johnvanek
Hi John, welcome to JWTalk! 👋
Good to have you here. I noticed you’re listed as being from Beaufort—nice area. Hopefully the weather’s treating you kindly where you are.
This forum has a lot of encouraging corners. The Bible discussion sections are always thoughtful, and the experiences and photo gallery can be especially uplifting. Feel free to jump in at your own pace—reading along is just as welcome as commenting.
Glad you found your way here. Looking forward to the encouragement you’ll bring.