I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart…. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.
- Philippians 1:3-8
In this time and season, when you hear the word “church folk,” you never quite know what will come next. Some resolve to hear something negative before expecting a positive comment. On top of this, there is now a trend where many enjoy church from the comfort of their home instead in the presence of “church folk.” And yet, whenever I ask what people desire from church, the answer is almost always "fellowship and community".
But amidst this season, I have been so proud of the community that IBC has exhibited. The apostle Paul shares his heart toward the “church folk” with the same fervor that I have for IBC.
First, I am proud of the way you care. I have seen some amazing things that this church is capable of when we choose to gather for the sake of the gospel. This week, we saw just how amazing it was that so many families were able to provide food for our Thanksgiving Meals drive. You, the IBC “church folk,” made it possible to feed over 600 households for this Thanksgiving Day.
Second, I am continually encouraged by your affection and love toward one another. This past Sunday, we gathered together in fellowship to share a meal with some really good food. Members of our church, from many nations, got together and planned a meal with the purpose of oneness and community. Once again, all done by the “church folk” here at IBC. It warmed my heart to see everyone eating, laughing, and trying to find which serving table had the last of the tamales. Seeing the children learning how to serve and helping alongside the adults brought so much joy to my heart. That was all you, from the serving to the fellowship. Thank you, Irving Bible Church, for bringing the positive back to “church folk.” May He who has begun a good work in you complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
I love you all,
Bruce