As a refresher, the Nominations Report is a roster of all
the different ministry areas, leadership roles, and disciples who have said
“Yes!” to serving and leading in a given year. (Please do note: It is not a
comprehensive list of all the many ways that many people serve. It doesn’t list
our hospitality sharers, for example, or our scripture readers, soundboard
techs, or Messenger editor. Please know, this does not in any way discount or
overlook that service!) Each year, this report is presented at our annual
“business” meeting, otherwise known as Charge Conference, and voted on.
Each year, as “Nominations” is underway, I am reminded again
of how the apostle Paul envisioned the church – as Christ’s body, a body with
many members/parts, each member uniquely gifted and graced, each gift and grace
meant to build and strengthen the whole. There are lots of scriptures in which
this image is named, developed, and affirmed (Romans 12:4-8, I Corinthians 12,
Ephesians 4, Colossians 2, to name the “big” ones.) In Christ’s body, there is
no one too young or too old to participate. In Christ’s body, there is no one
too dumb or too smart to contribute. In Christ’s body, there is no one more
able or less able to make a difference. Your gender, looks, IQ, educational
background, housing status, past failings...nothing disqualifies you from being
a valued, important, necessary part to the well-being and wholeness of the
Body. We all have something to give, and we all count. In fact, we’re all
needed.
So I invite you to set aside some time to pray in the next
weeks, asking God to show you how you are uniquely called to participate,
contribute, and make a difference in this community...and beyond in the coming
year.
- How might you step up?
- How might you try on a ministry or an act of service in order to grow and listen to God?
- How might you seek out intentional partners and mentoring in order to strengthen and sharpen a gift you sense in yourself or someone else?
- How might you say “yes” to something in order to practice relying on God instead of yourself?
- How might you open yourself up to being used by God to enable what only you can?
May you sit with these questions and allow God’s Spirit of
Life and Transformation to move. And may we, day by day, move into the fullness
that we’ve been called.
Peace,
Pastor Emily