Love Your Neighbor, Welcome Strangers, and Serve Others

Friends,

In the Presbyterian tradition, community refers to the way congregations and their networks live out the gospel through local connection, mutual care, and service to the wider world. Each congregation is called to be integral to its neighborhood — providing spaces for connection, hospitality, and partnership. Congregations are called to “love your neighbor, welcome strangers, and serve others

”.

A great example of providing space for neighborhood connection and hospitality can be seen in our summer BBQ’s. Our third and final BBQ of the year was last Friday, August 21. We welcomed about 150 people from the church and the neighborhood. People of all ages – 9 months to ??? -  ate good food and danced (in one form or another) to music from “Random”. Discussions around the tables encouraged new friendships and shared laughter. It was a textbook example of connection and hospitality and whether or not people choose to come to worship at Shepherd of the Hills, they will be remembered us as a community of faith that loves our neighbors and welcomes even those we didn’t know before Friday evening.

Well done faithful congregation known as Shepherd of the Hills.

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Heather