Colossians 4:7-18
7Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, 9and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions— if he comes to you, welcome him), 11and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. 15Give my greetings to the brother at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17And say to Archippus, "See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord."18I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
The letter to the Colossians ends with 11 verses of personal greetings and messages. These remind us that this isn’t some sort of theological document, it’s a letter between real people. The church isn’t some faceless organisation, it’s made up of real people with real relationships, it can get a bit messy and relationships might need restoring or people might need correcting or encouraging – just like it did in the early churches that Paul and others write to. The church is not a place we go to or an activity that we do. We are the church.