Dear
Church Family,
This March, four years ago, God called my family to join
with Trinity to do life and ministry together. My how time flies!
As I reflect on the past four years, I can’t help but think
of the transition here and some of the difficulties that we experienced during
this time. On the other hand, I can’t help but think of the joys we have
experienced with our Church family. But that is life. I can honestly say the joys outweigh the
difficulties and, through it all, my love has grown for my church. It is a
growth that has not been by leaps and bounds, nor one that has been a firework
of growth and fizzled out: the growth of
my love for you has been steady. My love for you is like the steadiness of a
good friend who knows you and accepts you, but at the same time does not allow
things to just get by. I need that kind of love and accountability and you have
become that church for me.
Although there is always room for growth, I look forward to
our lives growing together even more as we serve together and minister for the
cause of Christ. There will be many ups
and downs, but I have seen my church, my brothers and sisters, reach out to
love, care, accept, confront, speak truth–speak Scripturally to one another in
so many ways.
The scripture from Philemon 1:7 speaks accurately of our Church
when it says:
For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my
brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.
Even though we can’t be close to everyone, it does not dampen
the impact you have on me or my family, or on others as you seek to love and
minister to and with one another. Our
hearts have been refreshed through you, truly. You not only give and live the
Word of God, but you give of yourselves.
The love of our Church has grown. In the past four years, I
have seen it and experienced it for myself. My wife and children have as well.
The growth of our Church’s love is evident as we do life: as we weep with those
who weep, and rejoice with those who rejoice.
The basis of this affectionate, sacrificial and transparent love is our
Church’s love of Christ and His Word. We
never claim perfection or even that we are good, but we seek, desire and yearn
to know Jesus more and more. By the outworking of His Spirit through our obedience,
we are able to experience the love of Christ through one another and how
refreshing that is! What freedom there is in Christ.
I love my Church more now than ever. I love my Church for
coming together to love and minister, and as a result you stir up more and more
love and good works. I love my Church for seeking to know and love Christ and
His Word. You yearn to not only know Him but to apply His Word. I love my Church
for not being perfect, because in this humble truth, you urge the rest of the
body to rely on Christ, who is our sufficiency in all things. I love my Church
for your faithfulness in applying the diversity of your God-given gifts in your
ministries so that the whole body is edified and made stronger. I love my Church because you want others to
know Jesus no matter who they are, where they come from or what they look like.
I love my Church because you love Jesus…and it shows.
From your brother with love,
Jeff Summers
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