So continue encouraging each other and building each other up, just like you are doing already. – 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Friday was a “100% nothing but people” day. First. Rebekah’s cousin Shafe and his wife Elaine stopped by for lunch, returning from the Outer Banks on their way back to Georgia; later we spent a pleasant and informative afternoon with a Wake Forest friend, David, touring his retirement home at Cypress Glen; and then we enjoyed a marvelous evening of catching up over dinner with Don and Gay, friends from our Brandon, Florida church who now live in Greenville.

Some of you will remember Don Zegel. Don was an amazing trombone player with the Florida Orchestra who came to our church, played in the Praise Band, then joined the church staff to lead contemporary music.

Don always had the sweetest and most positive spirit and he was such an encouraging leader, bringing together a unique fusion of diverse worship music elements. He incorporated guitar, drums, brass, strings, woodwind, piano and more for a rich, light rock and gospel feel.

We had enough people playing at a professional standard that it lifted the rest of us beyond ourselves. But that was the way much of the ministry played out in Brandon. We were a congregation who “punched above our weight” in every way. From attendance to activity level to mission to giving to enthusiasm to growth to this cutting edge music ministry.

I remember when Don and our music director, Mark Prater, put together a “low brass choir” that was good enough to play Carnegie Hall. Someone asked how a church our size could fund that many professionals for “regular” Sunday worship? We didn’t, they were all part of the congregation. Besides, at First Presbyterian in Brandon there were no “regular” Sundays.

Don’s gift was – other than technical skill – his winsome belief in people and the way that his positive affirmation lifted us, both in the music we played and via inviting us into more humble praise and adoration.

It still is his gift. I always feel more creative, and wise, and accomplished when I am with Don. He is a real life Barnabas (someone with the gift of encouragement – Acts 4:36).

So my take away from Friday is a spiritual question. When we spend time with other people, either casually or seriously, do we encourage one another? Do we lift each other up? Is The Spirit present?

This is in many ways our primary responsibility in The Church, our calling to – as Paul writes – encourage each other and build each other up. In love and gratitude -DEREK