There are lots of places in the Bible where you and I are invited to be instruments of encouragement. I love that word, “encourage.” To encourage is to hearten someone. Courage, I believe, is the state of big-heartedness, and to encourage another is to give them heart, to inspire them, to infuse their spirit with support and help.

So, I use this space to bring you a word of encouragement, in the spirit of what the Bible calls “building up one another in love.”

Because of the excellent vision and planning of our crackerjack staff, we have had many recent occasions at Embry Hills where our physical plant has been overflowing with guests. Sunday mornings are always teeming with people who enter our doors as honored guests; in recent weeks, however, there have been other activities that have brought people to Embry Hills who have never been here before. And, whenever I can, I take the opportunity to greet them.
In conversations with guests, there is one thing that I almost always share.

“I hope that you’ve been received warmly here.”

And, the response is always a confident and grateful, “Yes.”
“This is such a friendly church.”

“I really appreciate the spirit here.”

“Through the printed material I have read, I get a strong sense of the amazing things happening here and want to commend your congregation for the ministry you are carrying out.”

“We have been to many churches in our search for a community of faith, and this is by far the warmest welcome we have received.”

Thank you for the many ways in which you live out our denomination’s motto of “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors.” Guests who walk through our doors are experiencing your ministry of encouragement, and I wanted to encourage you in the ministry of hospitality you are so beautifully carrying out.

Keep up the good work! The best is yet to be.