by Richard Owens

Dear Westminster Church Family,

We’ve often talked about how Scripture describes believers as those who “one another one another.”  Specifically, throughout Scripture we are called to “forgive one another,” “encourage one another,” “restore one another,” “accept one another,” “care for one another,” “submit to one another,” “carry one another’s burdens,” and “bear with one another.”  To this, from the depths of my soul, I say “thank you.”  Thank you for “one anothering” my family and me during my health crisis.  Throughout the last two months, thank you for not allowing us to walk through this alone.  We have found the church family to be just that, our family!  Over the last weeks I have been cared for, encouraged, and carried by so many of you.  Thank you for the text messages.  As I mentioned Sunday, something as simple as a text message can be, and was for us, a tremendous encouragement.  Thank you for the phone calls, thank you for the wonderful food, and thank you for the visits.  As I mentioned Sunday, the reality that God has given us Christian fellowship as a means of grace bowled us over.  Annie and I craved conversation with other believers and you, the saints of Westminster, offered that to us in spades during our hard.  A few years ago, I sent out an email trying to convey the honor it is to be able to serve as your pastor.  Well, here I am now, knocking on the door of 2020 and I feel the same way, if not even more.  Apart from Annie and my children, serving as your pastor is the highest privilege and responsibility God has given me.  There’s no way to possibly fully convey the gratitude I have towards each of you, but please know you hold a central place in my heart.  Thank you so much for being a church family who, in Christ and by God’s grace longs to be just that, family.  “May the Lord bless you and keep you.  May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.  May the lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”  

Yours in Christ,

Richard