It was the evening of St. Patrick’s Day and as I walked out of Hans & Susie’s building into some brisk weather, I felt like I was falling in love with our church all over again. Our staff had just gathered for our quarterly fellowship, a time when we get together with our families and just hang out together (no shop talk, just friendship). We decided to do a St. Patrick’s theme dinner. It was a night of great food with great friends and I was in high spirits.

Driving home, I was reflecting on what a great team of people God has given me to work with. I genuinely love these people and I know I’d be friends with them even if we didn’t work together. I don’t think our chemistry is just because we’re all so much alike. Rather I think the key is in how readily we show grace and sacrifice for one another. I think that has kept us close over the years. I’m not just saying that to be pastoral—I really see it that way.

I also started to think about how the way I feel about our staff extends to the way I feel about our leaders at Harvest. We have a team of over 60 people who are actively leading or in apprenticeship. Because we do so much together as friends, I don’t look at our leaders as ministry resources but as real people—my friends. I can live with the work being impeded for various reasons, but I get very burdened if our friendships ever sour.

Sitting here two weeks after St. Patrick’s Day writing this blog post, I can think of so many others at Harvest who are not in leadership but still such a vital part of my life. I think of all the football games, amusement park outings, hospital visits, weddings, meals, road trips, funerals, and other events we’ve shared together. I think of all the ways we’ve opened our lives to one another, sharing each other’s burdens and triumphs. One of my greatest joys about serving at Harvest is that the people here are not just my parishioners – they are my friends.

Do you see a pattern emerging here? I think what I love so much about Harvest is that this is where some of my best friends on this earth are. It’s the church I'd attend even if I weren’t a pastor here. That has always been the thing that has made my 14 years here so deeply satisfying. It’s the reason why I can honestly see myself serving and living and laughing and crying with these people for the rest of my life.

Dave Lee
Lead Pastor