by Layci Clifford

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My family hosts a small group in our home on Monday nights. The moment that makes me smile the biggest is when they start opening my cabinets.

I know that probably sounds strange, but hear me out.

The first few weeks someone comes to our Monday night group, they ask permission for everything.

Where should I put this?

Can I throw this away?

Do you have a serving spoon?

Fast forward a few months, and they’re opening the pantry looking for aluminum foil, grabbing a bowl from the cabinet, or refilling the ice bin without saying a word. It’s a little startling the first time it happens, but I love it.

Because somewhere along the way, they stopped feeling like they were guests and started feeling like they were part of the family.

That’s one of the things I love most about the BGAV family, too.

Every November, we gather from across Virginia and beyond. Some people are attending their very first Annual Meeting. Others have been coming for decades. We reconnect with friends, worship together, learn from one another, and celebrate what God is doing through churches across our Commonwealth. Somewhere along the way, for many of us, the Annual Meeting stops feeling like an event we attend and starts feeling a little more like coming home for a family reunion.

One of the other things I love most about the BGAV family is that, when people feel like they belong, they naturally begin helping others feel like they belong too.

That’s exactly what happens through our volunteer team. When the doors open, it’s the people greeting at registration, welcoming cars into the parking lot, answering questions in the hallway, and helping someone find the right room who help turn a well-planned event into a warm welcome.

They’re not just checking people in. They’re saying, “We’re glad you’re here.”

They’re helping someone who’s attending for the first time feel like they belong.

If BGAV has ever been that kind of place for you—a place where you’ve been encouraged, challenged, supported, or simply reminded that you’re part of something bigger than yourself—maybe this is your year to help create that same feeling for someone else.

‍Take a look at the volunteer opportunities and sign up to help at this year's annual meeting!

Whether you have 30 minutes or a few hours, there’s probably a place where your smile, your willingness to help, or your friendly conversation could make someone else’s experience just a little bit better.

See you in November, family.

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Rev. Layci Clifford is the event planner for BGAV’s annual meeting.

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