Real Community: Does Marital Status Help or Hinder?

I don't know about misperceptions, but I have been meeting with a fellowship group from my church (folks within neighboring zip codes--we go to a downtown church in a large city and members live all over the place). We originally got together (and this is going on 4 years now) to pray for our church and lots of us have gay neighbors. We meet one Sunday evening a week and it's potluck. We usually meet at one of two homes (folks with babies/toddlers--it's easier for them if they don't have to travel just before bedtime) and we meet, eat, share prayer requests and pray for each other. There are several couples with young children, new babies, seminary students, couples with grown children, and of course, a good number of single women--of all ages--college students to retired missionaries and career women in between. It's a great community within in the congregation and we've all had opportunities to share the joys and trials of all of our stages of life--from hysterectomies to very serious baby deliveries, parents' deaths, etc.

thank you for your response. I am actually working on something for women's ministry that will help us have real community.