Many Thanks

Rather than find a back door to bring up James and John, the sons of Zebedee, through whose narrative we’ll be looking at discipleship this Sunday, I thought I would stop and say thanks to folks. This is not an exhaustive list, nor is it the only time I will do this. So please, bear with me.

Thank you, Bill Barnes! Those little red pads we ask you to sign in on each week—okay, correction, that Amber asks you to sign in on without fail and I often have to be reminded about—are how we track who’s been around and who hasn’t. Every Monday, Bill Barnes comes in and enters that information into our information database, prints off reports for the staff, chats with us a tick, and goes home. Every Monday. For years. This past week, Bill lined up everyone in the system based on their Elders, so now we can print off Elders reports, so that your Elders can contact you with clear information. It has streamlined the life of the church, and it is well appreciated. Thanks, Bill!

Thank you, Stephen Studnicka and Paul Johnson! I don’t want to spoil the Lenten party we’ve got going on, but there’s going to be a congregational meeting in the near future about the roof. (While there still is one over us, hopefully. [That is a joke.]) Paul and Stephen, working as the Property committee, have spent countless hours getting estimates, figuring out priorities and skipables, and creating an incredible proposal that I had to read four times to wrap my head around. It’s that good. Often times, property work goes unnoticed, so I wanted to make a big deal out of these guys. Thanks, Stephen and Paul!

Thank you, Nina Boothe! You’ve see the shields we’ve been adding each week in worship. They’re pretty incredible. They’re made by Nina. She’s pretty incredible, too. Thanks, Nina!

Thank you, Greeters Ministry! Do you know what I like? I like that visitors consistently tell me they felt more welcomed at Midway Hills than any other church they’ve visited. Some folks who have a home congregation have asked if we teach lessons. Thank you to all the folks who have signed up for their Sundays to stand and welcome people as they come to church—the scariest part of visiting churches is walking through the front door, and y’all take that fear away. Thanks, Greeters!

Thank you, Wednesday Nighters! Soup chefs, prayer warriors, water thinkers and drinkers, choir members, and everyone who comes to eat, commune, study and sing—thanks very much! Trying out a six week Wednesday night experiment should have been risky, but it’s been life-giving, engaging and wonderful. If you have been to a Wednesday Night, thanks very much! If you haven’t, you still have two more weeks; I hope you will.

I am grateful for all of you, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday. Shalom y’all,

Arthur