Sermon Notes for Sept. 24th
September 24, 2006
“Serving the Church”
1 Corinthians 12
1. “We are all one body,” Paul says. All parts of the body are interdependent. And, in fact, we know that it is difficult to get along with parts that are missing. Our hearing, our eyesight, or a missing leg or a bad back. Everything works together. When one part of our body is in pain … we might say that our finger hurts… but in reality … it is our whole body that hurts … in fact, WE HURT. So, when one member of our church suffers, we all suffer.
Or, as the famous poet and preacher, John Donne, wrote: we are all parts of the whole…for “no man is an island.”
What this means in practical terms is that we should:
a. realize that we all need each other
b. understand that we need to respect each other – for everyone is important
c. be sympathetic toward one another – and be prepared to minister to and
care for each other.
Everyone is needed … everyone has skills … everyone can contribute …
Everyone can pray … all are needed.
Those who can sing … should sing
Those who can teach … should teach
Those who can plan … should plan
Those who can organize … should organize
2. Nothing is more clear about this than the Harvest Dinner which we just completed. Now that is a total all out effort. Everyone truly does get involved. Everyone is important.
1,100 dinners … that is a real accomplishment. But also that we had
Over 300 volunteers.
Pretty impressive!
It was a lot of work … but did you have fun? Was it also exciting? It
Was exciting just to see that many people working together all at the same time. And to be able to set a goal and achieve it.
And despite the fact that some people had to wait a while … they all said the food was great.
3. Now, last week I talked about Hucke’s Law or Hucke’s theory … about how if you give 100% you will get 80% results.
This week … I am wondering … maybe we did do 120% and get 100%.
Yet, as we all know, if we all did do 120% … we couldn’t sustain that kind of effort all the time or we would burn out. So, it is a good thing that this only comes once a year.
Whatever the case, it was a big achievement.
4. Now, after my sermon last week … several people came up and said it’s not quite true that when you give 100% you only get 80% back … because in volunteering their time to help others … they actually got more back than the put in … in personal growth and satisfaction.
And I had to admit that this is indeed a different way of looking at it. Because I was looking at it in terms of tangible results. But they were looking at in terms of intrinsic or internal rewards … or what might be called spiritual meaning.
And, in this sense … we could say … for we have often experienced it … that we do gain much by helping others … so that when we serve others … we too are rewarded. And so, this morning … I would like to have us think about the positive aspects of volunteering in our church.
5. And what I would like to offer to you this morning and for the coming year is some new opportunities to serve in our church which will, hopefully, deepen your sense of ministry to others … and also help our church to become closer together.
Two weeks ago, and again this morning I talked about the new “secret prayer partner” program.
This is something … I would like you to be involved in. It’s not a lot of work. You don’t have to give 120%. It would take a lot of time. It won’t cost a lot of money. And it will be fun.
6. Another thing we are starting in October is the "Wednesday Night Live" meal and worship service. Here is another good deal. All you have to do is show up and you get a meal. No cooking. No dishes. Only a few bucks. How can you pass it up? Well, maybe not quite that easy. Because, if it is successful we will eventually need some people to volunteer to help prepare the meal and clean up … how often? Maybe once or twice a year. That’s not too hard.
7. Then there are some other things we would like you to consider …
GO THROUGH THE LIST.
8. All of these are fairly easy to do, don’t require a big commitment, and yet
Can help us reach out to others in our church.
Now I know that many of you volunteer in the community for Habitat for
Humanity, and at the Hospital, and the Soup Kitchen and Food Shelf and in the schools. For, in fact we have a good record for community involvement.
But, my concern, at this point is that we also need to do some caring and sharing right here in our church in order to bring us closer together. And this is an important priority.
So, I hope you will think over these items. In fact, if you are at all interested, I would like you to check off those that you think you can do, and turn this in today …. By folding it up and putting it in the offering plate.
Now, you don’t have to commit yourself totally, all you have to do is indicate that you are interested. Later on, you will be contacted and if you change your mind … that’s okay. But, by getting an idea what your preferences are … we can get a better idea how to begin planning for some of these projects.
But, I want to emphasize that these are very important … if we want to go forward as a church … you can make a difference.
For, as St. Paul says, each of us are given something to do that shows who God is … everyone gets in on it and everyone benefits.
Let us pray
“Serving the Church”
1 Corinthians 12
1. “We are all one body,” Paul says. All parts of the body are interdependent. And, in fact, we know that it is difficult to get along with parts that are missing. Our hearing, our eyesight, or a missing leg or a bad back. Everything works together. When one part of our body is in pain … we might say that our finger hurts… but in reality … it is our whole body that hurts … in fact, WE HURT. So, when one member of our church suffers, we all suffer.
Or, as the famous poet and preacher, John Donne, wrote: we are all parts of the whole…for “no man is an island.”
What this means in practical terms is that we should:
a. realize that we all need each other
b. understand that we need to respect each other – for everyone is important
c. be sympathetic toward one another – and be prepared to minister to and
care for each other.
Everyone is needed … everyone has skills … everyone can contribute …
Everyone can pray … all are needed.
Those who can sing … should sing
Those who can teach … should teach
Those who can plan … should plan
Those who can organize … should organize
2. Nothing is more clear about this than the Harvest Dinner which we just completed. Now that is a total all out effort. Everyone truly does get involved. Everyone is important.
1,100 dinners … that is a real accomplishment. But also that we had
Over 300 volunteers.
Pretty impressive!
It was a lot of work … but did you have fun? Was it also exciting? It
Was exciting just to see that many people working together all at the same time. And to be able to set a goal and achieve it.
And despite the fact that some people had to wait a while … they all said the food was great.
3. Now, last week I talked about Hucke’s Law or Hucke’s theory … about how if you give 100% you will get 80% results.
This week … I am wondering … maybe we did do 120% and get 100%.
Yet, as we all know, if we all did do 120% … we couldn’t sustain that kind of effort all the time or we would burn out. So, it is a good thing that this only comes once a year.
Whatever the case, it was a big achievement.
4. Now, after my sermon last week … several people came up and said it’s not quite true that when you give 100% you only get 80% back … because in volunteering their time to help others … they actually got more back than the put in … in personal growth and satisfaction.
And I had to admit that this is indeed a different way of looking at it. Because I was looking at it in terms of tangible results. But they were looking at in terms of intrinsic or internal rewards … or what might be called spiritual meaning.
And, in this sense … we could say … for we have often experienced it … that we do gain much by helping others … so that when we serve others … we too are rewarded. And so, this morning … I would like to have us think about the positive aspects of volunteering in our church.
5. And what I would like to offer to you this morning and for the coming year is some new opportunities to serve in our church which will, hopefully, deepen your sense of ministry to others … and also help our church to become closer together.
Two weeks ago, and again this morning I talked about the new “secret prayer partner” program.
This is something … I would like you to be involved in. It’s not a lot of work. You don’t have to give 120%. It would take a lot of time. It won’t cost a lot of money. And it will be fun.
6. Another thing we are starting in October is the "Wednesday Night Live" meal and worship service. Here is another good deal. All you have to do is show up and you get a meal. No cooking. No dishes. Only a few bucks. How can you pass it up? Well, maybe not quite that easy. Because, if it is successful we will eventually need some people to volunteer to help prepare the meal and clean up … how often? Maybe once or twice a year. That’s not too hard.
7. Then there are some other things we would like you to consider …
GO THROUGH THE LIST.
8. All of these are fairly easy to do, don’t require a big commitment, and yet
Can help us reach out to others in our church.
Now I know that many of you volunteer in the community for Habitat for
Humanity, and at the Hospital, and the Soup Kitchen and Food Shelf and in the schools. For, in fact we have a good record for community involvement.
But, my concern, at this point is that we also need to do some caring and sharing right here in our church in order to bring us closer together. And this is an important priority.
So, I hope you will think over these items. In fact, if you are at all interested, I would like you to check off those that you think you can do, and turn this in today …. By folding it up and putting it in the offering plate.
Now, you don’t have to commit yourself totally, all you have to do is indicate that you are interested. Later on, you will be contacted and if you change your mind … that’s okay. But, by getting an idea what your preferences are … we can get a better idea how to begin planning for some of these projects.
But, I want to emphasize that these are very important … if we want to go forward as a church … you can make a difference.
For, as St. Paul says, each of us are given something to do that shows who God is … everyone gets in on it and everyone benefits.
Let us pray
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