Hello, My Name Is…….

One of the top twenty things in life I just can’t stand is the “Hello, My Name Is” name tag you wear when you go to a conference or a luncheon where there will be people you do not know. I don’t like it because of the way I write. I am a messy lefty. From the time I was in first grade, my teachers would always say to my mom, “It’s OK. He’s left handed. We’ll just keep working with him.” I also don’t like the tags, since you forget you have them on. Then someone comes to talk to you and calls you by name. Forgetting my name is plastered on my chest, I think to myself, “How do they know me, when I’ve no idea who they are???!!!!” The name tags drive me crazy!!!

Frequently on Sundays I find myself going up to people I don’t know and saying, “Hello, my name is Russell.” I am doing this because we are seeing so many new faces at worship on a weekly basis. Although God is regularly blessing us with visitors, this poses a problem. I can’t remember all of their names! When they come a second time, I introduce myself again. Sometimes they will respond, “We know. We met you before.” How embarrassing, but what a great problem for us to have! I hope you are making an extra effort to make our guests feel welcome, when they come.

As a result of so many new visiting families, it has been decided to incorporate the GROW Ministry into our church. Beginning in October we will be introducing GROW to the congregation during Sunday evening worship time. It is an incredible strategy which can involve the whole church. The commitment is very simple. One night a month. That is all we are asking of your time. Team meetings will be held each week, but you only have to be a member of one team. A short evening training session will be offered, therefore giving you all the details you will need to be effective in both the in-reach and outreach for our church. I hope you give prayerful consideration as to your involvement in this program, while we seek to better minister to our church family and the community we are privileged to serve.

Speaking of serving, I want to say a huge “thank you” to everyone involved in the Back to School Fair. What a great event as the churches (Grace Baptist, Seventh Day Adventist, Church of Christ, First United Methodist, Chambers Creek Baptist, the Mennonites, and First Baptist) of Grandview came together to minister to the community. It was a blessing for everyone involved! We must continue to seek to meet the physical needs of our community with the mindset of meeting their spiritual needs as the ultimate goal.

I also want to remind you about the challenge for us as a church to read through the Bible together in 2009. Some of you have already called the office to get your Bible ordered, but perhaps some of you are procrastinating. Don’t wait. Call the office today!

I hope to see you Sunday as we gather to worship together. Invite a friend to come with you as well!