Legacy is a weighty thing.
Last Sunday evening the Matriarch of Crossroads Church went home to be with Jesus. Annie Jean Welch and her husband Gabe founded our church way back in 1956. That was years before I was born and yet that simple act of obedience was eternally linked to my destiny.
This past Thursday I had the honor of officiating her home going service. I stood before her children and grandchildren in the church she planted almost sixty years ago and as the current steward of the legacy she now leaves behind, I vowed to them to guard that sacred trust - To lead this work with the same type of integrity and commitment that she demonstrated.
For the past week, I have felt the weight of that responsibility heavy on my shoulders. Yesterday I shared with our church how I felt and confessed to them that I know I can't do it alone. I asked them to help me carry out this responsibility by joining ministry teams, using their gifts and talents, inviting people to church and supporting the work with their prayer and finances. I was blown away as the entire crowd came to their feet in an ovation of support, many of them verbally shouting out, "We're with you Pastor!"
That weight feels a lot lighter this morning. By the grace of God, with an army of support at my side, I am ready to move forward and live out this legacy!
