Category: Thank You

The following thank you was received from Arnold Richards (and transcribed by Mary Reimler):

“I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the very caring congregation at Abilene First UMC for their many cards, calls and visits during my recent back surgery and subsequent recovery period.  I especially want to thank Melvin Leckron and Pastor Jenny Collins for their visits and numerous calls to inquire about my progress.  I look forward to returning to church services soon.  May God bless each of you.” —Arnold Richards

Jenny wrote this last Sunday (January 5, 2014), but I forgot to post it. Sorry.

Thank you to all who braved the cold and snow to come to our open house this afternoon. We had about 50 people stop by. And thank you to Abilene First United Methodist Church for providing us with a lovely place to call home.

Thank you for the warm welcome you gave my family when they attended the second service this past Sunday. Your hospitality is impressive.

A hearty thank you to the volunteers who came to our fall clean up day this morning. The church looks great!

Kristi Engle has stepped forward to serve as the director of the Shepherd’s Run on Christmas Eve. Thanks Kristi!

It was great to have the choir back this past Sunday, and it was wonderful to have the-yet-unnamed praise band with us for the first hymn as well. Thanks to everyone who lent their voices in worship.

The Collins family had a great time at the Sunday school class picnic tonight. (I’m not sure exactly which Sunday School class it was.) Thanks to Dave and Cindy Rempe for the house, the patio, the kitchen, the grill, and the pool. Thanks to Dave and Cindy and everyone else for the company.

Jenny and I just returned home after tonight’s “Meet the Pastors” event. We really enjoyed all four events, and we want to thank everyone who came. We look forward to getting to know you better still in the years to come.

I’ve been receiving a lot of compliments about the appearance of the parsonage. You can drive by 1601 North Campbell Street and see for yourself. But, I need to be clear that I don’t deserve much of the credit. I’ve put new gravel on the beds, mowed, pulled a few weeds, watered and picked up sticks, but that is all. The rest of the work, both inside and out has been done by paid help and volunteers (too many to name, I’m afraid I would leave someone out, but God knows). Jenny and I want to extend a big thank you to everyone who helped, you’ve made your parsonage a wonderful place to live.

Jenny, Liz and I really enjoyed our first two worship services as the pastors at Abilene First today. We were very well and very thoroughly welcomed. I realized somewhere through the second service that I was not helping to lead worship, but experiencing worship for myself. (It’s somewhat hard to explain, but often when leading worship it’s hard to focus on God as opposed to thinking about the mechanics of the service.) Thanks be to God and the congregation for a wonderful opportunity.