Dear brethren,

The Tacoma Family Weekend has finally arrived!  What a blessing it is to be able to see friends and family gathering for a wonderful weekend of happy fellowship, joyful worship and good clean fun!  With open arms and hearts we welcome the many visitors, and praise God for the opportunity to serve so many of "His own special people." 

To all our guests, we say "Welcome!  Thank you for coming to share this special weekend with us.  Our prayers are that God will bless you and your family as you join with many other families from around the region.  We encourage you to make yourselves at home, to share your joyful fellowship with us, and to participate in the events by helping out wherever you can.  We are few, and our local members have done much to help make this weekend a success and blessing for you.  So, any help you can offer during the weekend will make our joy more full as well."

To our local members, let me give all of you a well-deserved and sincere "Thank you!  There's something special about being the hosts, and you are so good at that.  Thanks for helping in all the many ways you have and do, from setup, food preparation and serving, sound and technology, music, housing travelers, helping during services, mother's room, dance decorations and music, cleanup, helping with the sports on Sunday, children's sports and games, concessions, safety and security, volunteer coordinating, and so many other things as well.  Don't forget to have fun yourselves!  We are told in Ecclesiastes 3, "To everything there is a season...a time to laugh...a time to dance...a time to embrace [as in embracing the opportunity to enjoy this weekend!]...a time to love...and a time of peace."  God has given us this opportunity too.  Our local members need this joyful gathering as much as the visitors do.  Like the Christians in Acts 2, who "ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart," we can and need to do the same.  Enjoy one another's fellowship, and give joy to those who are visiting from afar. 

Continuing our series on "The Fruit of the Spirit," the theme of this Sabbath is "Joy."  Joy is something that grows when it is shared.  Let's all share our joy with others, and receive the joy they are sharing as well.  Real joy is a fruit of God's Spirit flowing through "His own special people." 

Sincerely,

Roc Corbett