|
Members of First United Methodist Church, Killeen,
You have no idea of the BLESSING each of you are! I continue to STAND AMAZED by you. I want to tell you some of the reasons serving you warms my heart:
1. You care deeply for one another. Many Sunday mornings, I affirm you in this regard. When I visit members in the hospital, in rehab centers, and assisted living facilities, I see many of the cards you have sent. I discover that many of you have gone to visit our members. I learn that many of you have been a part of food “rotations,” providing meals for those recuperating from surgeries or illnesses. You call our “home-centered” members on a regular basis and give updates to me and to our Congregational Care Team.
2. You help the church in all the ways you can. We have people who lend their vocational expertise in ALL KINDS OF WAYS: construction work, grief work, yard work, acting, teaching, auto mechanics (yes, you even help fix vehicles that need fixing) quilting, house sitting, dog sitting (yep, this too), singing…I probably cannot name all of the vocations that come together to support the ministries at our church. As Susan Walters closed her eyes early in the morning on August 6, 25, she was “covered” by the many prayers of the members and by a knitted, prayer shawl from our church.
3. Some of you sit with me, as I sit with dying members. Your presence and support mean so much to the church members and to their family members.
4. You support the church financially. Many of you have gone OVER AND BEYOND to ensure the proper maintenance and care of the church building. You have donated “sacrificially.” I was moved to tears this week, when I learned of the many ways you have/are contributing financially to: the “raise the roof” campaign, to seeing that our members feel and are more safe and secure during worship times, the new ceiling fans, the new projector project, the renewing of the window sill in the conference room, CDC needs, Back to School needs…(again, I can go on and on). We have a ministry group dedicated to raising money for the needs of the church!
5. You care for those beyond our church. A group of members packed “sack lunches” to offer to the unhoused, downtown population. Those sack lunches met the needs of more than 80 people, as members participated in our FEED THE NEED ministry. Our youth group served the people of Edna, Texas, building ramps, painting and doing other things to help those in need.
6. Many of you bring our members to and from church and run errands on behalf of others.
I HAVE JUST SCRATCHED THE SURFACE. YOU REALLY ARE THE HANDS AND FEET OF JESUS TO ONE ANOTHER!
FROM ONE PROUD PASTOR!!
| 
