Hello, Friends!
        On Saturday Doug Mitchell, Dianna and I attended an all-day workshop put on by UMCOR, for Disaster Reponse Training.  We’re hoping to increase the numbers of folks in our area who can be deployed to be of assistance in the aftermath of storms and other traumatic events.
      We all learned a lot, about what it takes to minister effectively in this circumstance.
    Perhaps the most vital learning of all was the fact that no individual volunteer responder works solo — everyone is part of a team.  Every team has defined roles for each participant—team leader, assistant team leader, logistics, maintenance, spiritual/emotional support, and others.   Everyone pitches in to do all aspects of the on-the-ground hauling, patching, repairing, and whatever other tasks are involved — but each person has a special, assigned area of responsibility.
      No one role is more important than any other; no team member is expendable.  It takes the full array of deligated ministries to constitute an effective team.
Obviously, cooperation and respect are of utmost importance—as well as the ability to be flexible, and creatively adapt to the situation at hand, and any particular challenges or potential obstacles it may pose.
       If you’ve been paying attention this month to the messages offered in worship, you probably already know where I’m going with this.   All month we are focusing on stewardship, on sharing our prayers, presence, gifts, and service within our faith community, for the good of all.
          And yes, every person’s part matters.  No one is expendable. Every form of faithful service matters, too, and our portion of Christ’s body can’t achieve optimal health and viability without each one of us contributing something in all of the stated areas.
      We need each person’s, and every person’s, dedication to support the enterprise of our commmunity’s faith journey by praying, alone and with others; by showing up, and being consciously, graciously present;
by contributing financially, in an appropriate, proportional, dependable way; and by participating in acts of service to benefit the church and the greater community.
        Church is not a product to be consumed, but a process to be undertaken, with love.   We don’t believe anyone should be coerced into participating—but we also believe everyone should participate, if they want to experience what it really means to be part of the faith community.
        We have all kinds of things we want to accomplish around here—all kinds of great ideas for growth in mission, ministry, and fellowship right here and right now.
        This Sunday and in weeks to come you’ll have the opportunity to respond to a commitment request that will be coming your way.  I hope you’ll give it some serious, prayerful consideration—and I hope you’ll decide to get involved, if you’re not already, and if you are, that you’ll think about any new ways Spirit may be nudging you to direct your energies, for your joy, your sustenance, and the good of the cause.
       I look forward to committing with you this Sunday, and all our days to come.

Shalom,
Sarah