Good Morning everyone, for those who do not know me, my name is Ben Snead and Father Martin asked me to share some words with you all today about why I value our faith community here at Grace. To start with some background, Im seventeen years old, a senior in high school and I’ve been attending Grace since I was baptized here months after my birth.
So with that I want to lay out three reasons why I appreciate the Grace community
#1 I appreciate how Grace has provided balance in my life
It should be pretty evident to anyone who has been a child, that between the ages of 0-17 you go through a lot of changes. I’ve lived in different houses, attended different schools, made different friends. So Im grateful to have always been able to return to a place like Grace every Sunday, to gather in this space with familiar faces, and to be able to put aside anything I might be worried about for at least an hour or two.
#2 I appreciate how Grace has helped me develop as a Christian
Through the years of coming to Grace I’ve been becoming more and more committed to following Christ as I move forward in life. I am confident that as I go out into the world as an adult, I can always lean my faith.
#3 I appreciate all the individuals I’ve met at Grace.
I’ve met people that I consider lifelong friends, I’ve met some very inspirational people, and throughout my involvement at Grace, I’ve learned the importance of being a responsible, reliable person, and treating people with love and respect.
I know I’ve benefited greatly from this church, and I believe I’m a better person because I have been a part of this community. I think it’s important to always be grateful for the work of everyone who over the years built this community to be the place that has been such a point of light in my life, and in the lives of many of the folks in this room. So, for those reasons, I think we should all continue to invest in and maintain Grace, so we can extend our reach and benefit others.