Coming Together to Serve

Greetings!

The Kroger store that is located right across the street from our offices on Montrose recently finished a significant update to their building and to show their appreciation they wanted to do something nice for the neighborhood and the city, so they donated $5,000 to IM which will provide for 1,000 hot lunch meals for our seniors. We really appreciate the gesture and the recognition, and we thank Kroger for being such a good neighbor.

9/11
This week marks the tenth anniversary of 9/11. There are not many dates in our history that carry so much weight and changed us so deeply. We may have porous borders, but most of us think we are safe within them, even now. So it is fitting that 9/11 not only memorializes the dead and wounded, but now symbolizes a time to come together to serve.

Our city, like cities all over America, will hold a number of events worthy of your attention. We are dedicating a special 9/11 Community Update box, which you will find below this message.  I urge you all to find a way to come together and prove that we are stronger than any terrorists, and we affirm our values of openness, freedom and respect. We will not let fear alter the way we live our lives.

A THOUGHT TO PONDER
Even though we cannot let fear change our core values, so much has changed since 9/11. So it is noteworthy, I think, to celebrate something that hasn't changed in my life: this past Sunday I celebrated the fortieth anniversary of my marriage to Alyson. It is probably equally important to note that we've known each other for more than 50 years - and we decided to stick it out together.

Forty, and certainly fifty years, is a long time. We've been asked how we've made it.

The answer is not that simple. Like every couple we've had our ups and downs, though, thank God, many more ups. The other day when I was talking about my upcoming 40th anniversary someone said "boy, I bet you've had a really good 25 years together." There's a lot of truth to that.

So why have we've kept going all this time? Here's why.

Even though we are very different people, we share the same core values. And our relationship from the very beginning has been based on those. We believe in honesty so there are no secrets between us. We believe in family so our hearts swell when things are good and burst when things are sad. We believe in community, so we give back to others always reminding ourselves of the many blessings that God has bestowed on us.

And because of the bonds of trust, loyalty and honesty, our relationship has turned to love. It's not the same infatuation we had when we were teenagers, but it still burns today.

Who would know that a simple love story would be the proof text that some things don't have to change. It's awfully hard work, even now, but in the end, I am convinced that it's the most important work I have done and have yet to finish.

Talk to you in two weeks.


Elliot Gershenson
President and CEO
Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston
For a complete list of events the City of Houston has planned for the 10th anniversary of 9/11click here.