But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

Matthew 20:26, Philippians 2:3, Galatians 6:9

Thursday evening Rebekah and I were invited to a gathering of WFPC deacons and significant others, hosted by the ever gracious Diane and Hugh Terrell. It was billed as the deacons’ “COVID-deferred Christmas party” but was really the kick-off event in the long series of goodbyes leading up to retirement day, August 1.

In reality it was more like “hello, goodbye” – as we were all just as excited about being together in-person as we were to be offering any fond farewells. Of course there will be many more opportunities to hug everyone and then some, but this occasion was just right for spending some quality time with a relatively small group of people.

Not just any people, but deacons.

As we all know, the office of deacon was instituted back when The Church was getting started, and it is designed to offer love and care for The Body of Christ. People were set aside, and specifically commissioned to do the work of caring. Here at WFPC, our deacons care with such passion and love that the whole church benefits from what I call “trickle-down goodness”.

The Gift:

The dekes got together and presented Rebekah with a generous, thoughtful gift, something theologically on point for a pastor who also likes to garden.

It’s a set of garden tools – classy garden tools, a sitting/kneeling gardening bench, and a gift certificate to a beautiful nursery.

Over four decades of imagination, design, tilling the soil, planting, watering, weeding, and praying that God would grant the increase, Rebekah has always been a gardener at heart, and a gardener with her heart.

I couldn’t think of a better gift.

I also couldn’t think of a more caring, Christlike, faithful group of people than the WFPC deacons.

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. – Galatians 6:9

Love and peace to all who care in such beautiful ways – DEREK