I want to take a moment and just sincerely say thank you.

Like from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Thank you for being here today.

You made it. And your presence presence it really, really matters.

Like in all the busyness of your life, you chose to gather together with God's people,

to hear God's word, and to serve God's people, and to praise God's people and to

people and to praise God's name.

And I just want to say sincerely thank you.

And what I want to do is I want to show you a portion of scripture

that reminds me of how I feel about you.

Paul said to the Thessalonians this, and God's word,

he said, so we have been greatly encouraged

in the midst of our troubles and sufferings, dear brothers and sisters,

because you have remained strong in your faith.

It gives us new life to know that you're standing firm in the Lord. Now watch this. He said how we

thank God for you and you're going to hear me say it again and again and again

and again thank you. I thank God for every single one of you.

How we thank God for you.

Now let's say these next three words aloud together,

everybody say it with me, because of you,

one more time, let's say it aloud, because of you we have great joy as we enter

God's presence. How I thank God for every single one of you.

...