Sam

Sam

The best part about being a member at Glade Church is serving as part of the body of Christ. Glade Church is my family. We pray together and we play together. We serve one another and we work together to serve others. We are there for each other in our times of need. We celebrate our joys together.

My wife has attended Glade Church her entire life. We were married at Glade Church 25 years ago. When we married, I became a member and the congregation immediately made me feel welcome. Over the years, the congregation has embraced our three children, teaching them and encouraging them along their faith journeys. Glade Church has given my children many opportunities to experience giving and receiving the love of Jesus Christ.

A few years ago, my wife and I and our three children all participated in a Habitat for Humanity “Blitz Build” in West Virginia. We worked with three other UCC churches and built an entire house in one week. We built a home for a Mother and Father and their six children. They had been living in two rooms in a rat-infested trailer. At the dedication ceremony, there were tears in my eyes as I watched the smiles on the faces of the family members. My son was just 10 years old at the time, but even he had a sense of ownership of this project. His job was to pick up nails around the foundation. My oldest daughter gave an award winning 4-H speech about the entire experience. Participating in this project transformed everyone in our family. We realized that with the Lord’s help we can all work together to make this world a better place. We gave a lot that week, but we received so much more!

In 2005 when doctors diagnosed my wife with breast cancer, the Glade congregation surrounded my family with love, support, and prayers. They made it possible to get through a very difficult time. I will be eternally grateful for all the Glade Church family has done for the Roop family.