GCA Homecoming 2010

I returned home last night from spending the weekend in Smyrna, TN with the folks from Grace Christian Assembly. Now I want to get my reflections down in writing.

It was a very special weekend but allow me to first provide a little background. For several years this tiny church has hosted what is called Homecoming Weekend. It's an open invitation for those who listen online to come and participate with them in worship and fellowship. GCA members open up their hearts and their homes to virtual strangers from across the country, holding festivities on both Saturday and Sunday of Resurrection weekend. It's an understatement to say that these people go ALL OUT to see that their guests are treated...well....practically like royalty. They majorly pull out all the stops! Oh, come to think of it - here's how I would describe them: Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves. ~Phil 2:3 That's GCA.

I'm very serious when I say that I am greatly humbled by the examples set before me in regard to that verse. One family offered their home to Roger and me, but because of his allergies to indoor kitty cats, we were unable to stay with them. So they made the offer to a another internetter from PA. They told her they had a 'guest' room, and upon entering said room, she quickly discovered it was actually their master bedroom. Perhaps not all that unusual on the surface, but consider the fact that the wife lives with an extremely serious, chronic illness that causes her no small amount of pain and suffering. SHE slept on a couch; her husband on another one. Now the reason this had such a profound affect on me is that Roger also suffers with a chronic condition that causes him no small amount of pain and suffering, and I'm not at all sure we would even have the thought to give up our bed to guests. Don't misunderstand - I do NOT say this as a judgment on him because I have NO IDEA what it must be like to live in constant pain; sometimes the only small amount of relief he's able to get is sleeping on our sleep number bed. (But I know me, and I'm fairly sure I wouldn't give up my own comfy bed.) I'm simply saying that these folks esteemed their guest as more important than themselves, and I've a lesson to learn. By the way, they wouldn't let her help or pay for any meals at their house. Oh yeah, the husband doesn't even have a job right now. ~~Unbelievable graciousness.~~

The feast laid before us on Saturday night was absolutely incredible, and I'm given to understand that most of the food was prepared by one person. Wish I had a photo, but let's just say that if you only took one spoonful of each dish, you'd have four plates of food. Much time, as well as heart and soul, went into the food preparation. The table settings and the decorations were lovely, and somebodies worked VERY hard behind the scenes. Beautiful. There's no doubt a good time was had by all. :)

And then there's Jim, pastor of GCA. I guess he got assigned chauffeur duty. :) He picked us up from the airport on Saturday morning, dropped us at the hotel, picked us up later for the festivities, dropped us back off at the hotel that night, picked us up for church Sunday morning, and then brought us to his house to visit on Sunday afternoon. I felt kinda guilty about how much time he was spending hauling around a couple of carless Texans! But on the other hand, we relished every moment we got to spend visiting with him. :) He is a most gracious man, made more special to me by the fact that he performed my baptism on Saturday. GCA in general was very gracious and generous toward Roger and me in other ways, which I won't go into here. Right now, I'm only able to offer my humblest gratitude for helping to make our annual visit possible this year.

If you know me, if you read my blog or keep up with my Facebook, it's beyond obvious that I have great affection for GCA and for Jim McClarty. God has used his teachings to profoundly influence my thoughts and studies of God's word. I am taught well and I am grateful. Fortunately also, because of 21st century technology (and Homecoming), I've grown to love the people of that little church in that little Tennessee town. As well, I'm quite fond of those who are the called, the internet members of GCA. :-) There is no doubt that God has entrusted Jim and GCA with a very unique ministry. I mean, you can go to any church website and listen to sermons. You cannot, however, connect in a personal way. Of course, that's by design and that's okay. It is also by Design that Jim's got the gig he has.

So I end this post by saying 'thank you' Jim and GCA. You are sweet, special saints. Thank you for your generosity, your hospitality, your hard work and your dedication to propagate the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace. May Christ continue to be preeminent and highly exalted in all your endeavors. I pray, too, that He would continue to be willing to weave the tapestry of our lives together with one another. It appears you're stuck with me. ;)