"To My Beloved Church Family"

 

 
June 3, 2026
 
I still remember that day.
Smiling faces were waiting for us in the driveway.
 
My family and I were not quite sure what to expect.
But as soon as we drove in, we felt welcomed. We felt loved.
 
Everywhere we looked, we saw love.
In the flower gardens.

On the freshly painted walls.
In the floors and furniture.
In the bathroom vanity and kitchen sink.
Even in the battery charging outlet.

Every corner told a story.
A story of people who had given their time, 

their hands, their skills, and their hearts
to prepare a home for a family they had not yet met.
 
Though I was not here to see the work, 

more than one neighbor told us
how impressed they were to see so many different people 

coming together to restore and prepare the parsonage.
 
I could almost picture you rolling up your sleeves,
working together, fixing, painting, cleaning, planting, 

carrying, and creating a home for us.
 
What moved me most was this:
You did all of this before you even knew us.
 
We live in a world where so much is transactional.
We often ask, “What will I get in return?”
But through your love,
you have reminded us that there is another way to live:

a gift economy.
Receiving everything as a gift.

Giving everything as a gift.

 
You chose to love us before you knew us.
You chose to give so generously—

your time, your talents, your expertise, your resources, 

and most of all, your presence.
 
You prepared a home for us, 

but you gave us something much more than a house.
You gave us a welcome.

You gave us a sense of belonging.
You gave us a glimpse of Christ’s love.
 
I want each person who helped—

whether you planted a flower, painted a wall, fixed something, 

cleaned a room, carried something, donated something, 

or simply showed up —to know that your gift has not gone unnoticed.

 
I may not know everything you did, 

but I can see the evidence of your love everywhere.
Your love has moved me. 

It has challenged me to choose love and grace in the same way.
 
Thank you for preparing not only a parsonage, 

but a home for our family.
Thank you for loving us before you knew us.
Thank you for your beautiful gift of love.
 
Now, as we begin this journey together,
My family and I are ready to follow your example
to make much of Christ through love.
 
With much love,
Pastor Victor