Blown Away by Community

I'm constantly amazed at what the church can be. It seems that in times of crisis the church family can pull together in ways that never cease to amaze! I'm certainly amazed!

You'd think that after 12 years of pastoring a guy would get a little cynical. A little hardened. A little weathered by the storms of church life and church people. But I think I've softened. Or been softened. (Sometimes you're softened up by the blows :-)

But what do you say to a woman who brings you a home-made supper and drives off to grab some drive-thru? Someone else pops in with pizzas to freeze. Phone calls come - constantly. "Is there anything we can do?" "Do you need someone to talk to?" "Can we come and pray with you?" "Just wanted you to know that we're thinking and praying for you?" Emails come to say "We're believeing God for a miracle!" It's so much that you sit there absolutely blown away and mumble yourappreciation and wonder and ponder afterwards at the amazing generosity! What kind of people do this?

God's people! His hands and feet! His arms of love! His demonstration of Himself! Real people with real lives and real issues stop to make my family a part of theirs. Community means a kind of family. And I'm only beginning to discover it!