The Value of Service
Christmas time is a time when many people think about how they can serve others. I wanted to share something this past weekend which warmed my heart. On Friday and Saturday a total of 25-30 men gave a number of hours, some the better part of two days, to prepare the kettle cooked soup at Buffalo Valley. This event will raise close to $2,000 for people in our area (outside of our church family) who have been trying to pay their medical bills but have not been able to do it. These men chopped veggies, opened cans, cooked ham and chicken, set up kettles, stirred and served soup and then cleaned everything up without getting any benefit for themselves; except the joy of serving others…and the occasional taste test of the soup of course. Then on Saturday morning 7 people came to practice music for our Sunday service and then absolutely “killed it” on Sunday morning. Then 10-15 people showed up and gave several hours decorating our stage and main gathering area for Christmas. It looks wonderful…if you don’t have a church home you should come by one of the next three Sundays just to see how awesome it looks!
I left here Saturday afternoon thinking how great it was for so many to show up and help out. I also left here seeing people genuinely enjoying each other’s company as the tasks were accomplished. Though money was raised and decorations were done, I think the most valuable part of the time was the time spent together. If you are reading this and you are a follower of Jesus and you don’t have a church family that you belong to…I mean really “belong to”… then you are missing out on a major part of what the Christian experience is all about. I encourage you to engage with a local church this Christmas season and then stay with those people. I know that not every church is friendly and warm but there are many that are and you can find one without too much trouble. (If you have trouble, contact me and depending on where you live, I’ll help you find one!) If you are not a follower of Jesus I suggest you find a church community that is interested in serving and spending time with one another. You can make friends and make a difference in helping to serve others and the world…and who knows, maybe you’ll hear a good sermon or a moving song or a testimony that just might get you thinking about this Jesus fellow, especially at this time of the year.