God's Work, Our Hands

Last Sunday, we had one service and the Congregational Meeting was held after it. It was good to see all of us together at once and even better to share the good news with one another. At the congregational meeting held once a year, we find out how our hands have been serving God and how God has been at work among us. I always find out something new and encouraging at this meeting of the family. There are so many projects and outreach things that I wasn't aware of, that my heart swells with the joy of our commitment.

This year, I was elected to be on Church Council. It was a feeling akin to Sally Fields accepting the Academy Award for her role in Places in The Heart, "you like me, you really like me!" she said (except I found out later, she didn't really say that, she said something similar--so much for quoting famous people). I felt grateful and humble at the same time. Now lest you think I am making too much of this, I would add that it has been more years than I can count that I have been on council. When I had kids at home, I was on council and once a month I made my way to the room upstairs to be a part of the "governing" body of our church. But this church is not the same as it was then. Oh, the building is basically the same, but the people who are involved (for the most part) are not. There are new things to be considered and new ways to consider them. Those of us who have been here for a while remember the things the way they were, those who are newer see things that could change and be different. And to be perfectly honest, I'm a little nervous. I'm nervous because its been so long since I was a part of this, it may be really different than I remember. I may be asked to do some things that I don't want to do because now I'm not just looking out for myself. I'm looking out for the interests of others who aren't there in the room. I'm thinking of someone other than me. I've been really comfortable for a long time looking out for me, myself and I. Now I have to readjust. I have to think of others. It will be a change and I'm not always comfortable with change (in any form). BUT, I have friends on council with me. And I have the body of Christ as my back-up. And for once in a very long time I feel called to do something. Something for someone other than myself. And really, that's kind of what that whole,  "God's work, our hands" thing is all about, right?