Church Family,
Psalm 133 verse 1 reads: “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.”
On Sunday morning we were able to experience a bit of what the Kingdom of Heaven will look like as Christian brothers and sisters from different ethnicities, nations, and socio-economic backgrounds united in worship of Jesus Christ.
I am deeply thankful for the experience First Pres was able to share alongside the people of Iglesia Cristiana Comunidad Hispana (Hispanic Community Christian Church). If you missed worship on Sunday, you truly missed something special. I’ve included a few pictures below and you can listen to the sermon here.
A few follow-up items:
We would love to hear your stories of what this Sunday meant to you. Please send to me by email reports of any connections you made, meaningful experiences you had, or learnings you took away from Sunday’s worship service, communion experience and celebration meal. My Inbox has been flooded with really remarkable comments and insights the past couple days, and I am learning a lot about what Sunday meant to you.
Thanks to all the folks from both congregations who made Sunday a success. Members of each community served on the hospitality team, worked as translators at the lunch tables, sang in the choir, and offered their energies in dozens of other ways to make it possible. A number of people have asked for information on the restaurant that catered the lunch and is run by a member of the ICCH community. Here is a link to El Mana https://www.elmanarestauranttaqueria.com in Melrose Park. If you go by for a bite, tell Leo hello from his friends at First Pres.
Let’s work to make this weekend only the beginning. If you swapped contact information with someone from ICCH you connected with on Sunday, maybe find a time to grab coffee with them or have them over for dinner. If you want contact information from someone you met on Sunday, I’d be happy to help you track that down. If you want to join in an ICCH worship service one Sunday morning in the Chapel at 10:15, you are always welcome.
Jesus teaches us in Luke chapter 13 that men and women will come from north and south and east and west and sit at table in the Kingdom of Heaven. Glad we are getting a jump start on practicing for that coming event!
Chris Griggs
