What is a Church?

A church is a family of people. People that are loving christians, people that seek and receive God's love and forgiveness. These people praise the Lord, love the unloved, are contented with what they have, instead of despising what they don't. They are diligent in their faith, true in their prayer and faithful praying people for their church's support.
A church is people willing to help and accept others in need of help or approval. It is people that are willing to accept change when it quickens the march of Christianity, people willing to serve wherever there is a need or when there is a special call.
A church is people that consider every day as a gift, and an opportunity to walk its path, people that consider being human as a privilege, not an excuse.
A church is people that realize that they testify through their positive acts and thoughts. They face problems with solutions, not excuses. They face a project with anticipation, not complaints. They think with their hearts as well as their heads. Their testimony follows them when they participate in politics, civic and fraternal organizations, school shows, social gatherings, scouting or even little league.
Their testimony leads them to do something for someone without expecting gratitude or praise. Their testimony gives them endurance to enjoy, instead of suffer, their children; honorr, instead of sneak away from, their parents. Their testimony gives them the capacity to love as well as to be loved, the ability to listen as well as to speak.
A church is a family of people...people of God.

This article was written originally by Francisco Garcia Sr.. "Paco" as we all knew him, went away with our Lord in May, 1996. This is a special tribute to the person that defined the path of my faith. The most influential person in my life... my DAD: Paco.