Today was special for me as my family served together. Just after 6:45 a.m., we went out to Helotes City Hall to meet up with a dozen other Gatewayers to pick up trash on our adopted highway, landscape, install park benches, and clean up trash around Helotes’ new park. Emma helped unload some brush in a wheel barrel for landscaping and raked.

I have been hearing reports all day of other teams all over our city demonstrating God’s love in physical ways. One team made blankets and now cleaning the offices at a Pregnancy Care Center. Friends are partnering with Daily Bread to distribute and pass out food to the hungry in the poorest zip code in our state. Johnny Hauck’s team is building a kitchenette for an inner city kids’ ministry. My neighbor Scott and new student pastor Seth are leading students on a Rebuilding Together project where they are remodeling a needy family’s home. Our largest team is serving lunch to homeless friends at the d-town shelter.

Saint Francis said, “Preach the Gospel and if necessary use words.” I am so proud of you Gateway for being more than a church that attends a Sunday morning experience. You sacrificed time on a Saturday morning to serve those in need. You did more than that. You served Jesus and made him smile. I appreciate every one of you!