Service in the Church
(IT ISN’T JUST FOR DEACONS ANYMORE)
When you get to church on Sunday morning have you ever wondered who turned on the lights in the church and prepared the sanctuary for worship? Or what would happen if a door in the church was accidentally left open at the end of the day? Who fills the baptismal font? The short answer to these and many similar questions is deacons. But as with many questions, the short answer is not really all that complete.
According to the PCA Book of Church Order (BCO) “It is the duty of the deacons to minister to those who are in need, to the sick, to the friendless, and to any who may be in distress. It is their duty also to develop the grace of liberality in the members of the church, to devise effective methods of collecting the gifts of the people, and to distribute these gifts among the objects to which they are contributed. They shall have the care of the property of the congregation, both real and personal, and shall keep in proper repair the church edifice and other buildings belonging to the congregation.”
The first part of that charge is one we would all recognize as duties of the diaconate. But what is this “devise effective methods of collecting the gifts of the people, and to distribute these gifts among the objects to which they are contributed” portion of the charge. It sounds like we are to include more folks than just those who have been placed in the office of deacon.
Even after being a deacon for eight years and reading the BCO, I admit that the second part of that charge is something I had sort of forgotten. At a recent meeting of the diaconate we discussed this topic and how, as deacons, do we get the rest of the congregation to come alongside us and use their gifts and talents for the good of the Kingdom?
The first obstacle facing the diaconate is for the deacons to get over our inability to ask for help. Yes, just as men don’t particularly like to stop and ask for directions, men generally don’t like to ask for help. Fortunately, the diaconate has discussed just this fact and realizes that for the good of Southwood, and the Kingdom, that we are going to need to ask for other brothers and sisters to help us.
So, just say a deacon approaches you and asks for help. Each one of us in the church is unique. We all have our own gift set that God has blessed us with. It stands to reason that we are not all going to be good at serving in the nursery, or teaching a kid’s Sunday school class, or working on automobiles. Remember, you don’t have to say “Yes” to each and every opportunity. A wise woman in my small group once said that, “The need is not the call.” Just because a need exists doesn’t mean you are the one to fill it. Look at your spiritual gifts, pray, and determine if a particular situation is applicable to your gift set. And, if it’s not a good fit, then don’t worry. The Lord will raise someone up to fill the need and an opportunity that matches your gift set will be right around the corner.
There are opportunities to serve for everyone… From youth to berean. Introvert or extrovert. New believer or long time Christian. The church has almost as many different needs as it does unique members. Sunday school facilitators, nursery, taking care of the church property, mercy ministry to widows or single parents, outreach to the community… And the list goes on. Each of us has gifts that God has given to us. Gifts that we are called to use for the Kingdom.
Service to the church is not something that is limited to those who have been ordained as deacons. It is something we are all called to do. Something that Southwood has made a priority for all our members to be involved in. James asks us in Chapter 2, verse 14 of his book “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?” Just as Jesus and so many others in the Bible lived out their faith through their actions, so too are we called to do the same. It is not something we do to get saved; it is something we do because we are saved. If you desire to come alongside the deacons and serve the body we welcome you. Together we will be able to extend the reach of Southwood into the Kingdom and be not only a witness to, but a participant in His redemptive plan.
For more information on service opportunities or to volunteer please contact Josh Treen (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)) or Dale Bowen (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)). Also look at ways to serve our church body on the list below.
Serving Opportunities in the Church
It takes approximately 150 volunteers each Sunday to have Southwood function well. This is a short list of possible areas to serve on Sunday.
• Nursery Volunteers
• Greeters
• Ushers
• Security & Hall Monitors
• Sunday School Facilitators
• Set Up Help
• Children’s Sunday School
• Puppet Program
• Special Events
• Information Desk
• Communion Preparatation
• Parking Lot
• HVAC Control
• Music Support
• Tech Support
In addition to Sunday, there are opportunities throughout the week to serve. This list is an example of some service opportunities within our church.
• Widow’s Ministry
• Single Mom’s Ministry
• Helping Hands
• Mercy Needs
• Tech Support for Church
• Special Events
• Bereavement Assistance
• Publications Support
• Vacation Bible School
• Special Children’s / Youth Events
• Stewards of the Property
• Flowers for Sunday & Special Events
• Financial Counseling
• Assisted Living / Nursing Home Ministry
This list is not exhaustive—if there is something else you would like to help with but don’t see it on the list just ask.