Things I love about my church!

26 Things I love about my church - plus 12 more and 2 more - and 10 more makes it 50!

Here are the first 26 things that popped into my head...I know there are more, so I will add to the list as I think of them. I just want to start accentuating the positive...rekindle a lost love...encourage the body...remind myself of things of which I have lost sight. By the way, they are randomly placed...God is first and his Word being preached is of utmost importance, so don't freak out that it wasn't first on the list! I would LOVE to see some more from YOU...

1) I got married there, Kelly got married there, and Lacey got married there
2) My church loves missions
3) Our Youth are the most amazing people in the world!
4) Kathleen Hill, Sylvia Pegg, Thelma Parker and Marian Fulbright
5) We have very talented people who attend our church
6) Special needs adults attend our church, are comfortable there, love it, and participate without inhibitions
7) My family - Mom and Dad, Curt and Marcia, Chase and Lacey, and Mickey and I all worship together there
8) We have a rich heritage of community and family surrounding us there
9) AWANA
10) Terrific Tuesdays
11) Vacation Bible School - still in the mornings
12) Chelli Pollet - an EXPERT early childhood professional
13) A very good facility for our preschool and children
14) New property - completely paid for and a dream for a new church plant
15) ESL
16) Men who work on the Disaster Team! Heroes - every one!
17) A great Main Street facility that lends easily to community events (Main street Halloween, Christmas Parade, Garage Sales, Give away events, Election site, Perspectives, emergency shelter)
18) People...some that I have known and worshipped with for over 30 years...some that are long time friends...some that are new
19) We are debt free
20) Many sweet memories
21) God's name is famed
22) The Bible is preached here
23) The Angel Tree
24) Lottie Moon Christmas Offering - worthy goals are set and met
25) College student care packages
26) We have a vision for the future!OK...you encouraged me...
27) I LOVE to hear the men in our choir sing...they are soooo good!
28) Codi Richardson - Lyon College student who has been so faithful to our church - joining, attending and serving and loving Jesus!
29) NEW lightweight tables!!!
30) Codi Richardson, Gloria Vaughn, Lacey Moore and Kristi Price - young ladies who love to sing and honor us by singing in the choir!
31) Taylor Toon - College girl, loving on our Junior High girls and teaching Sunday School - you rock!
32) The way the church pulls together (old, young, male, female) to pull off big events - we may not commit very early, but we show up and get 'r done. (Fall Festivals, Steak Dinner for Revival, Garage Sale give-away, Outreach events)
33) An AWESOME preschool playground!!
34) The quilt in the West Annex that is patterned after the stained glass windows in the Sanctuary that many of our women worked on...so creative!
35) That we have missionaries who are on the field but have chosen to entrust us with their membership while they are overseas!
36) That almost every room in our church is USED on Wednesday nights!!
37) Diane - a great custodian who does her job well and is one of the sweetest people on earth.
38) That even though I don't know everyone well, it makes me warm to see their faces on Sunday morning and delights me to greet them...greeting time on Sunday morning is one of my favorites

Oh, and one more - how could I forget...actually, I'll do two and make it 40...

39) My church overwhelmed us and Lacey with love, gifts, notes of encouragement, Christmas cards, prayers and a beautiful commissioning and reception when she went overseas...so much so that her partner was AMAZED - commenting that Lacey has an awesome church who supported her and loved her and even she felt included! Thank you, church - THIS is the body of Christ at it's best!
40) The Worship Project and Youth Praise Band - girl DRUMMER! yea...Heather!

I have 10 more...I want to let everyone share in these thoughts of loving my church

41) We still gather on the front steps for VBS - children still want to walk down or slide down the wide concrete side guards of the front steps
42) When we have pot lucks or meals, so many people stay to help clean up - it is almost like a party
43) Showers - wedding and baby
44) Weddings and Funerals - the place we meet to rejoice new beginnings and the place we say good-bye for a while - sometimes the church (the body) goes to another location other than our building to help celebrate and mourn...I love that!
45) I know that my brothers and sisters pray for me - they tell me so
46) Invitation for response - a thing of the past in some churches...seeing my Daddy praying at the alter, knowing it is for the church
47) The youth - down front and to the left - the place they have been for at least 35 years (they were sitting there when I came to Batesville as a 17 year old youth)
48) The preschool greeters desk and that we care enough to protect our babies and preschoolers!
49) Celebrating the Lord's Supper together in whatever form that takes AND that we stepped out of the box this year and did a foot washing - very moving! (lets do it again!)
50) The return of college students - to Sunday School or worship - Christmas Break, Spring Break and Summer Break - I love to see their faces dotted over the church!