It was almost nine pm when I dropped off a friend at the church parking lot and noticed a car in the driveway. Initially alarmed, I quickly noticed a person behind the shrubs weeding and pruning the flower beds around the chapel. She was there not for pay but for love. Later that week one of our Elders caught me in the hallway. Her eyes sparkled as she told me about visiting a woman in our church who now receives Hospice Care. She explained that their visit was absolutely delightful. “I even taught her how to use the church app and church directory on her phone.” I couldn’t tell who enjoyed that visit more, the patient or the Elder.
Sometimes, we on the church staff, feel reluctant to reach out and ask the members of this faith community to play a flute solo or teach a class or bake cookies or mentor the youth or paint the choir room, or serve dinner to the homeless. You are already busy we think. Sometimes we forget that in every single person is a longing to give oneself away in love. When a person is set free to do what he or she is passionate about, something holy unfolds. When we find an unpaid job that allows our heart to express itself, it doesn’t feel like a chore but a gift.
I often ask our staff not to use the word “volunteer” because that makes it seem optional. You can volunteer for the PTA or Harvesters and I trust you will. But Jesus didn’t call folks to “volunteer”. Jesus called them to serve. Service is how we let the light of Christ, alive in each of our souls, shine brightly in this world. We are more fully who God created us to be when we serve. We can’t help ourselves from weeding at 9pm! Volunteering takes from our free time. Service fills our souls.
“Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.” – I Peter 4:10
This Sunday in worship we will honor you! (See related info below) We will celebrate all the ways – seen and unseen that testify with your actions to the truth of God’s irresistible love. We call it “Celebration of Service” for a reason!
With gratitude for your loving service,
Carla
