“How Do I love Thee, Let Me Count the Ways.” The Psalmist was quick to express love for God through recounting ways that God had faithfully acted on their behalf throughout the history of Israel. If you have every received a letter from someone who recounts some way that you have been significant in their lives, then you know how powerful an expression of love that can be.
Consider, as a pastor, the impact on some members of receiving a letter from their pastor that recalled several ways that that member had faithfully acted to build up the church over several years. if the person had joined during your term as pastor, you might even recall events around their choosing to be part of the church as well as some ways that they had used their gifts throughout the years. You might recall personal ways that you had felt their support, ways that they had been part of some specific ministry within the church, their faithfulness at worship, even their financial support. The idea would be to recall with them how God’s call that had led them to this church and their relationship with you as a pastor had strengthened the total ministry of the church. If done sincerely, this could also have a strong impact on a member with whom you had disagreed at times but still felt their overall commitment to the Body of Christ.
If a pastor chose to write one letter a month, they would have twelve families each year who would be made aware of their gifts of ministry that are expressed in a variety of ways. Over several years this could have a major impact on the congregation as a whole. In being remembered, they would feel the love of the Body of Christ.
