Family

Over the fireplace in the parsonage are three plaques that have words on them.  They are "Church, Friends and Family."  The past few weeks have reminded me of these things.  I have encountered many of you at the church.  These encounters have been at odd times ... not at usual service times.  You have been working, preparing and serving.  I appreciate you so much!

I appreciate so much those unsung people that are willing to invest their time to make Abbeville Methodist Church better, stronger and more vital than it should be based on numbers alone.  There are CR workers that make ministry happen each Thursday night ... thank you!  There are folks who feed a hundred children each week by dropping food off at the elementary school ... thank you!  Many people planned and implemented the missions auction ... thank you!  There are the folks who worked behind the scenes so that homecoming would be awesome, fun and prayed-up ... thank you!  There are people who make sure that programs are available for our children and youth ... thank you!  There are folks who make sure we are far too well fed ... thank you!  A group meets each week to pray for needs, hopes, dreams and leaders ... thank you!  We have Sunday School teachers who prepare lessons and tell us the stories of Jesus ... thank you!  Also, people come by and clean the church, fix things that are broken and maintain the property ... thank you!  Amazing musicians meet to practice and plan music for each Sunday ... thank you!  Food is prepared and the kitchen is cleaned during and after each weekly and special event ... thank you!

I think sometimes we get caught up in the nuts and bolts of doing, and we forget we are building something greater and bigger than we could ever imagine.  Wayne Watson says it like this ... "We work the field of souls, together you and I, some fields are blooming now, and other fields are dry.  We are not the same ... but differences aside.  We will work the field of souls ... together you and I."  Important work!  Jesus said, "Wake up and look around ... the fields are already ripe for the harvest (John 4:35)."  We are a family working to bring others into God's family.  And God wants a family!  Friends ... faith ... family!  These things are important!  Randy