Helps Ministry

Hello Everyone,

I don’t really know how long the helps ministry has been going, and I don’t suppose it really matters much. What does matter is that we are starting to see fruit here, and I would expect that some of the fruit, probably most of it is still unseen. Nevertheless there are little things that I see as well big things, but it is the little things that sometimes cause my eyes to become moist. (Yes, I know some of you disapprove of that word)

So today for instance I’m at the chili lunch (cookoff) after the service and I’m sitting with one of the guest families whom we have been working with in the ministry. This is the very first time that the kids have been to church, so I doubt that they had many preconceptions, a blank slate so to speak. All they know about me is that I have asked them to come today and since I put on my friendly demeanor this morning they think I’m friendly. That’s all the kids know. Anyway, I mention that I’m still hungry after my first bowl of chili, and leave the table to go get seconds. To my dismay, some of which bled through on my face, they were all out of chili, so as I returned to the table, I just flipped my plastic bowl into the trash, and sat back down, but the five year old Elle saw the whole thing. She then went and got an extra cup, and filled it with her left over oyster crackers and shredded cheese. “Here, I made this for you!”, she said with a bright excited smile and that glint in her eyes, revealing the excitement that comes when you have a chance to help someone.

As her parents mentioned to me later, their kids absolutely LOVED the whole experience so I OWE a huge thank you to you guys who work with the kids ministry. You made it fun but more importantly you made them feel welcome and spoke the word of God into their lives, maybe for the very first time. The parents then mentioned that they will definitely be coming back next week, not just because of what their kids experienced but partially because of it. It is just great to see the kids and helps ministry working together in a way that I would not have expected, should have, but did not.

In addition, I should thank Pastor Bob as well, or really the entire pastoral staff. Regardless of whom I bring into the church I never have to worry about the message they will hear. I have been attending here for almost 20 years and have never gotten the sense that the staff was after money, or size, or power or anything except a passion for introducing people to Jesus and just letting God do the work. As I listen to the sermon, I try to listen to from the vantage point of my guests, and so I actually listen more attentively when I am there by myself, which is the usual case. Therefore, I thought to myself, I should bring people more often, not just for their sake but my own.

I go to church mostly every Sunday, as do many, however as I get older my reason for attending shifts. At first the primary reason was to be encouraged through the sermon, hear the music, talk with people, and worship God. As I get older, I now see that my primary reason is to BE the encourager, yet still not neglect the remainder.  As most of you are aware, the church is not the building, the pastoral staff, the worship team or any of that. WE are the church, and therefore need to actively BE that, not just in receiving but in giving, and not just giving of money but in encouragement, friendship, outreach, and all the rest of the things that we should be doing. It’s really much more than a Sunday thing, but the ‘Sunday’ thing is important as well in that it provides a vehicle for encouragement as well as a way to comfortably introduce people to God. We should certainly take advantage of it.

Anyway, I now see a number of families and individuals that were introduced to church through the helps ministry that are attending regularly, but most importantly, are being changed. I see this in the present, but what I won’t see for many years, if ever in my lifetime, is the impact on the children, like Elle, and then their children 25 years from now in 2040, as we allow the Lord to use us in breaking the familial cycles of sin and addiction during the present generation.

By now you are wondering about the purpose of this email, and you should be, since I really don’t have a purpose other than to share what is happening. We don’t need your money (yet) , we have enough  of that for now.  There WILL, however, come a time when we run low, and trust me, I will impose upon your generosity at that time, but that time is not now. We DO have needs in other areas, such as rides to church, assistance with moving, vehicle repair, food, and so on, and for these items I will just continue to ask you through this email distribution list. Thank you ALL so much for your generosity over the last couple of years, because regardless of whether you see the fruit or not, it is there. I saw just a small part of it in my cup of oyster crackers and shredded cheese.