Yesterday, in the morning worship, we honored a lady who has served the church faithfully for years and years. The woman whom we honored did not know we were going to do so. We included her family (of which we in the church consider ourselves part of ), friends, and others who have been effected by her servant mindset. We gave her a very nice clock with an inscription of thanksgiving for her service, dedication, and commitment. It was a wonderful surprise for her which she humbly accepted.
In the nine years I have served this church, we have done this sort of thing five times. We do this while these folks are still alive and able to fully enjoy the celebration.
There are three reasons why we do this:
1) We believe God is honored when His saints are honored.
2) We believe people important to our spiritual family should be honored just as we honor physical family members.
3) We believe it is important to honor and celebrate individuals who model dedication, endurance, faith, and devotion.
The service was wonderful and we continued it after the hour with a fellowship of food. It was a feast for both body and soul.