I know if you were a part of our morning assembly this past Sunday you were encouraged by the heartfelt comments from our Jeff Trinh.  While leading the Lord’s Supper meditation, Jeff shared publicly what many knew already, that he had lost his job a while back and had been looking here in the area and elsewhere for employment.

After researching and considering all their options, they came away with one constant: they did not want to move away from their South Fork church family.

And so the next great adventure God has in store for them will be as franchise owners of their own business.  All of us love Jeff and Barbara and appreciate all the work and sacrifices they’ve made and continue to make for our church family.  And Chloe, Eliott and Millie are not just their kids.  They’re our kids.

And so it was a great blessing to share this moment around the Table Sunday, during what I like to call “the church’s family meal.”  One of our shepherds Charlie Branch made that same connection as he commented on Jeff’s statement later in the service.

Every Sunday our worship assembly is an incredible opportunity to encourage and be encouraged in our spiritual journey as we join together in praising our God.  And when you don’t come, you miss out.  It’s just that simple.

In his Jan. 6^th blog [http://johndobbs.com/] entitled, “I’m Old School About Church,” John Dobbs shared some thoughts about a few different aspects of church life.  Here are his thoughts about church attendance.

I Think Christians Ought To Go To Church When The Doors Are Open. I know most (all) churches have their set of problems. But nothing is solved by staying away. I would venture a guess that most people do not study their Bibles and pray MORE when they stay away from church. I don’t think that going to church solves all issues in our lives, nor does it guarantee a seat in the Heavenlies (only Jesus can do that!). But there is something that happens in the assembly that doesn’t happen elsewhere. Support your local church with your attendance and participation. Help it become what it needs to be. Be a team player and be dependable! Bring others along!

What I especially appreciate about this statement is that John acknowledges that attendance at church worship services doesn’t make all our problems go away or give us a reserved spot in heaven.  But the worship assembly is a unique opportunity to share a time with your church family that is simply not offered anywhere else, at any other time.  It’s family time, when the whole extended family gets together, worships God together, and encourages each other.  Together.

In his article John also speaks of the Lord’s Supper, expressing gratitude that the church’s family meal is a part of the assembly every Sunday.  He rightly says that the Communion is a time of “unity, remembrance, and looking forward,” and that “these are core to who we are as Christians.”

If that’s true, it should cause us to sincerely consider what we’re choosing over Sunday services, and what we’re missing out on when we do.

It’s not too late to make another resolution…