East Washingtonian - Your Hometown News Source

We say "farewell" at partings to wish others a good journey from here. It is a form of blessing" "May you fare well in the days ahead." We might also say, "Godspeed" or "God bless" or "Goodbye" in the same way. That you fare well is my wish and prayer for all of you. This will be my last column for the East Washingtonian. Seasons cycle ahead, and my family and I will be moving to the next one.

I have learned and grown much in my years here in Pomeroy. The town has a great strength: that of community. I have seen a great willingness by so many to chip in, come alongside, or otherwise support one another, simply because we are family and neighbors. This is a wonderful trait to have: don't ever lose that. In fact, my challenge for you all would be to look at how you can increase it. How might you expand the sense of community to those who have recently moved here, are passing through, or even live disconnected from that community? How can you include others? How can you extend hospitality?

As Christians, we have the greatest teacher of hospitality in history: Jesus Christ. Jesus didn't open His arms only to those who welcomed Him first. He made the first move. Jesus didn't limit His love and support to those who were already like Him, or even shared His values. On the contrary, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

Jesus always reaches out in love first, and it makes all the difference for all of us. We carry on the responsibility to make the first move and reach out in love. If Pomeroy can truly master the arts of welcoming others into community and sticking by that community, then you can rest well in the knowledge that you have loved your neighbors as yourselves. Many in Garfield Co. have done just that in a powerful way: keep doing it and seek to do it better today than yesterday. Love is never poorly spent.

I wish to express my gratitude for your support of my family. It was a privilege to get to know many of you. We will miss a lot of people when we move on, but we take you with us in our hearts, and I rejoice in the knowledge that we will meet again, when we are all together in our Father's House.

Never cease to seek the Lord. We are never so mature or holy that we cannot learn something powerful. Nor should we be afraid to change and grow, as the Lord leads. Seek the knowledge of God, the experience of His presence, and the presence of His grace, and you will indeed fare well. May God bless you.

Pastor Evan Elwell

Pomeroy Church of the Nazarene