Dear Church Family,

We have certainly been reminded in recent days that God made us to be part of community. When that sense of community is disrupted or changed, we feel it because He made us that way. In a church the size of Harpeth Hills, we may all experience different levels of companionship, friendship, and community when we walk through those doors on Sunday morning. Regardless of world events, work situations, or family dynamics, the sense of belonging when we are together on Sundays is a comforting feeling. As your shepherds, we acknowledge the loss that exists from our lack of time together on Sundays.

As we contemplate that loss, may we all be called to actions that celebrate community. Call the people in your Life Group and check in on them. You do not have to be the “official” Life Group leader to make the calls. Just pick up the phone and start checking on each other. Think about one of your fellow Harpeth Hills family members who might have a need and reach out to them. Perhaps someone else is contacting that same person, but don’t assume that is the case. Make the call or send the text message. Write a note to the person who sits down the row from you on Sundays. Let them know you have missed seeing them. They will be encouraged and so will you. Our prayer is that we will emerge from this time as an even stronger community honoring a powerful Lord.

God loves community because He has always experienced it. He has always had relationship with the Spirit and the Son. In this time when COVID-19 is trying to separate our communal meeting, God knew it was coming and can still use it for good. Spend that extra time in His Word and in conversation with Him (this obviously includes listening as well). Give Him your concerns. Step into His faithfulness with gratitude for the blessing of time with family, the opportunity to seek a relationship with Him, and the chance to be community to each other. Pray that the world would turn back to God that they might enjoy this community with Him.

Take pleasure in John 14:23 – “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them, and make our home with them.” While we may not be in physical community with each other, we are blessed with the assurance that we remain in spiritual community as the Father, Son, and Spirit make their home with each of us.

We serve a mighty God. He desires community with us, and He desires for us to have it with each other. His will prevails.

Isaiah 14:24 – The Lord Almighty has sworn, “Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.”

Lovingly,

Your Shepherds