Worldview Fragment: church as society of friends

Worldview fragment: one or more related ideas/viewpoints that can (and often do) serve as a component or flavor in a complete worldview held by some specific individual. The "fragment" term is not intended to be a subtle insult, but to accurately reflect the reality that the fragment is 1) not necessarily an actual, comprehensive worldview, and 2) could likely coexist with a variety of other fragments within some individual's worldview. A puzzle piece isn't worthless because it's a puzzle piece.

I've previously mused about what it means to be an introverted Christian, and perhaps I had more questions than satisfying answers. Nevertheless, I'm still a Christian and still introverted. Recently, I thought about it from a different angle: my impression is that for some, one of the fragments of their overall worldview is the concept of the church as a "society of friends".

Basically, I keep hearing that people in the church should interact beyond a formalized slate of weekly activities. They should meet urgent needs that arise, give confessions and encouragement and admonishment, share joy and sadness, pray and study, etc. Sounds like a society of friends to me.

But how are the friendless and ignored expected to react to this vision of the church? As I explained in detail when I described my experience of being both Christian and introverted, it's abundantly apparent that I don't have the prerequisites for "fitting in". My hobbies and interests aren't like the others in my church. I don't even watch the same TV shows. I'm not charming. I don't put people at ease. As a never-married adult, I'm categorized differently than most of the church. My talents and/or "gifts" aren't suited to up-front exposure, so I'm not well known. In short, it seems that after taking everything into account, nobody wishes to voluntarily spend time with me. (And of course, saying this complaint out loud, to anyone, would merely mark me as self-pitying and therefore less worthy of friendship.)

Now, this situation has never stopped me from contributing financially, volunteering for various tasks behind the scenes, having short awkward conversations on Sundays, communicating my insights in bible studies, voting like all the other full members of the church, singing in groups, and so on. However, if church is meant to be more, if it's meant to resemble a society of friends, if utmost spiritual growth necessitates that model, if church is about giving oneself in relationships, then the state of my social life relegates me to a "lower tier" of Christianity, does it not? In that case my participation is more like the support machine hooked up to the Body than one of its organs, isn't it? Given that true church is a society of friends, my flagrant inability to befriend (or to be befriended) disqualifies me, and others with similar issues?