You are not wrong. That is to say, in some respect, religion is not the essence of faith in God, nor is it the requirement to be with Him. In fact, Christ himself dealt with the problems with religion (even God's chosen) when he admonished the Pharisees for various issues with strict adherence to "religion" instead of what is right and holy.

That being said, there are things that religious bodies do that are beneficial to our faith and spiritual journey. Weekly worship is not necessary to be saved, but it certainly aids your spiritual development when you have a routine of meeting with God. When we meet regularly with others who believe as we do to seek help, advice, or encouragement, it certainly helps us grow stronger in our faith. When we give to others and to those who are on missions to do good for others and spread God's word, we certainly are living out our belief that people need to know the Good News. All of these things can be achieved outside of a building labeled "church", but few actually do. Additionally, being apart of a church that helps everyone accomplish these things together can certainly help everyone keep their hearts and minds set on what matters.