Have you found your ministry, yet?

5 days ago
3 min read

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

1 Corinthians 12:7

Dear Friends,

This coming Sunday, we are having a volunteer appreciation luncheon for volunteers here at First. There are folks who make coffee, fix things, greet, clean up, serve on Council, sing, prepare communion, pray, visit, fold bulletins, provide rides, run sound and ppt, assist in worship, teach our children & youth, set up, and other things that aren’t coming to mind right now. I’m very thankful for all those who give of their time and talents so that First Lutheran is a place where people feel welcome, get connected, built up and are in action.

Though I appreciate these volunteers, there are still many of you that are not involved at FLC beyond attending worship. There are many things that are happening here and they would not be happening if it were only up to the 3-4 people on staff to do it! Every person who volunteers multiplies the amount of ministry that happens here. You’ve probably heard the saying, “Many hands make light work.” Well, some of our “hands” are having to do “heavy” work. Hence the question: Have you found your ministry, yet?

In decades past, it seems like our society did a good job of training people in how to be in community. It seemed to be cooked into our DNA that people knew that everyone had to do their part in order for organizations, congregations and institutions to be healthy. Over the last few decades, society has shifted from a “communal” mindset to a much more “individual” mindset. The improvements in technology and a consumer culture that can satisfy our material needs with the touch of a button have made it easier for people to focus on self-gratification and a sense that they can go it alone… and we are starting to pay the price. Social anxiety is on the rise. Non-profit organizations are struggling to find the volunteers that they need to provide the help and services to those in need. We seem to have lost the sense that we are all in this together.

So… back to the conversation here at FLC…

Some of our volunteers are over-worked and tired. We’re having a discussion tonight (Tuesday) about maybe giving our volunteers the summer off so they can get refreshed. The sustainable—and faithful—solution, however, is to have more volunteers. Wait… let me say that differently… The real solution is to have more ministers. For me, this mean people who see their role of “volunteering” as a means of answering God’s call to be in service to their neighbour. Ideally, their ministry is in line with their interests, their talents, and their abilities. When this happens, it can be a very fulfilling “service” that they do. This seems to be the experience of many of our Music Team members. It feels good to be contributing out of their giftedness.

I would also add that this type of volunteering is a great opportunity to discover talents you don’t know you had. Most of things that you see me doing (speaking in public, art, relating to youth and children, building things, singing, guitar playing, acting) were all discovered in the grace-filled, safe environment of the church. One might say, most of my talents were “set free” and developed in the church setting.

What do you have a passion, desire, giftedness or calling to do?

What have you always been curious about trying but maybe felt a little too fearful to try?