Loving Greetings to all of those who have gone the Second Mile in celebrating our 40th year of ministry as the pastors of Heritage Fellowship.
Each week through the last two years it has been a joy to touch base with you through letters of heartfelt appreciation for your prayers and support. For some we have wanted to do what we can to stay connected with you, only to let you know how important you are to Heritage, it is, for this reason, we call our church family a fellowship.
Years ago, a local pastor had criticism for our church family. He told me, "You don’t even have a church all you have is a fellowship." It was his way of reproving me and attempting to put Heritage down. He is regretfully no longer in ministry having been disfellowshipped from the church he served. Paul wrote letters to the churches and speaking to the church at Philippi concerning unity he put it like this:
Joined Together in Perfect Unity
2 Look at how much encouragement you've found in your relationship with the Anointed One! You are filled to overflowing with his comforting love. You have experienced a deepening friendship with the Holy Spirit and have felt his tender affection and mercy. 2 So I'm asking you, my friends, that you be joined together in perfect unity—with one heart, one passion, and united in one love. Walk together with one harmonious purpose and you will fill my heart with unbounded joy.
3 Be free from pride-filled opinions, for they will only harm your cherished unity. Don't allow self-promotion to hide in your hearts, but in authentic humility put others first and view others as more important than yourselves. 4 Abandon every display of selfishness. Possess a greater concern for what matters to others instead of your own interests. 5 And consider the example that Jesus, the Anointed One, has set before us. Let his mindset become your motivation. Christ is our example of how we should live and His example is all we need to understand the standard He Himself has set.
The Perfect Standard
14 May my only boast be found in the cross of our Lord Jesus, Christ. In him, I have been crucified to this natural realm, and the natural realm is dead to me and no longer dominates my life. 15 .................. What really matters is the transforming power of this new creation life. 16 And all those who live in agreement with this standard will have true peace and God's delight, for they are the Israel of God.
Over the past few weeks in the month of October 2021, as we celebrate our 40th Anniversary as pastors of Heritage. I realize that we have a fellowship around us of, "2 MILE MEN AND WOMEN IN A 1 MILE WORLD." Words are hard to come by when I think about what I want to say regarding your many expressions of love for us.
Let me thank you for sharing vision and working side by side with us to see God's Great Dreams fulfilled.
Simply Yours for the Glory of God,
Cleddie and GayNell Keith