Dear Harpeth Hills,

An occupational hazard of ministers is feigning excitement. The preacher writes in the bulletin, “We had a wonderful day last Sunday.” The truth? It was actually just an okay Sunday. The soloist was flat, the attendance subpar, and the giving was $2,000 under budget. Added to these facts is, the preacher had a sinus infection that day and really just wanted to call in sick. But by bulletin time on Wednesday the desire to be optimistic and positive is overwhelming and thus the headline reads, “We had a wonderful day last Sunday.”

Here is the headline from two weeks ago. No feigning of excitement, no exaggeration, no shading of the truth.

It was amazing!

First, Vicki and I went to the House Church at Stan and LeEllen Ezell’s for the first time. I had the Sunday off from preaching, so I was able to deliver flowers to Alan and Sherry Scarboro, who were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. Then I got to pray for Hoyt Hysmith, Nathan and Laura’s seven-month old. The singing was wonderful, the children’s moment led by Holly Allen and others as cute and insightful as could be, and solid preaching by our friend Rubel Shelly. I saw some people, young and old, for the first time in months.

Then at 5pm, I attended the first Family-Friendly outdoor worship service. About 140 were in attendance, half children and half adults. Seeing little ones at their learning centers and then playing on the playground was thrilling. (My grandson cried when his parents dropped him off but started smiling when they offered Goldfish.) In his fine sermon on kindness, Jason Pagel talked about our friend, Tom Edmondson. The communion devotional led by one of our families was right on target and again, I saw some people for the first time in months.

I ran into someone in the parking lot. “It was just good to see people,” she said, close to tears. Or maybe I was the one wanting to cry. You get in the car heading home after a long day, and your heart is full.

It was amazing.

I love you.

-Chris Smith