Dear Restored Uptown
After a temporary pause to this series we started at the beginning of 2020, we conclude with a letter from Andy to Restored Uptown, the church that God used to give birth to our Family of Churches. While this letter may not be as relevant during this pandemic, may it still encourage your souls to remember a piece of what God is doing in and through our churches.
Dear Restored Uptown,
As I reflect on the last year in our family, my heart is filled with gratitude and pride. The type of pride Paul has when he writes to churches that he loves dearly and his fatherly heart is bursting. In many ways, doing this type of recap of an entire year, feels like picking just a few things that I love about you, when in reality the list is much longer and deeper than we have time and space for. But I will attempt to share some of the things I am most proud of in you, Restored Uptown, from over the past year.
You are hospitable. You continue to welcome each other into your homes and make space in your lives for each other. You also do this for those that are not yet a part of this family, with passion and vision of wanting to see them be brought in and experience the grace of Jesus. There are countless stories of you opening your homes to let someone stay with you during a transition or a painful time. You lend out your cars often, feed each other frequently, and make an effort to get to know new people even when it’s uncomfortable. I truly feel confident that people who walk in will be welcomed beyond what I am a part of or even ever hear about the details of, and what a gift it is as a pastor to know that will happen unprompted.
You are generous. A little over a year ago, our small but mighty church gathered together $70,000 to bless Kiya and Kyle as they prepared to head to North Africa to an unreached people group with the beautiful news of the gospel. This past fall, we also gave generously to see Anthem Denver planted in Denver, Colorado, after having Josh and Courtney Lewis spend six months with us for a church planting residency in 2018. These are some of the bigger giving opportunities that you have responded to generously, but there have also been several smaller ones within our community; helping support people who have lost jobs, purchasing a car for a struggling mother, raising money for legal fees. It is easier to measure the financial generosity you display, but I know that there is also a remarkable amount of generosity with your time to love and reflect Jesus to one another.
You are stubbornly committed to keeping Jesus at the center. You have opened your hearts, minds and schedules to investing in new things for the sake of knowing Jesus more. You have learned and practiced prayer, you have read through the bible in 100 days, you have taken summer school classes to grow in your understanding of Jesus and how he ought to impact your lives. Speaking the Gospel into each other’s everyday lives has become the norm and it is beautiful to witness.
I am thankful for you individually and collectively. It is one of the greatest privileges of my life to know you and walk with you as we together seek to follow Jesus. I look forward to another year of making much of Jesus together.
Much Love,
Andy
