UNUSUAL SUSPECTS
October 2006
for the Collect, publication for St. Thomas Episcopal Church,
Medina, WA
A bizarre phenomenon occurs in nearly every church community. It’s the tendency for a very small group of people to do most of the ministry. At St. Thomas, are you one of the usual suspects?
Or are you in the other camp – attending St. Thomas and feeling like a part of the community, but aware that you could go a little deeper?
Our church is blessed with a cadre of lay ministers whose gifts clearly shine forth and make this a vibrant community. But if those same lay ministers continue to lead us indefinitely, burnout can result.
Ministers with their own well-being in mind know when it’s time to step down. But some choose not to step down quite yet, because who will take their place? When the lay minister finally does step down, it can result in the ministry’s total collapse. Meanwhile, newcomers to a busy church community sometimes find that nobody is offering them leadership roles. They may not even be aware that their talents have a place in the church.
So then, stewardship of our God-given talents contains two important elements: 1) offering those gifts generously, and 2) mentoring people to take your ministry on when it’s time for you to do something else. Here’s an example: I’m not going anywhere anytime soon, but Jeff made clear to me at my hiring that part of my job is to build a youth program that will continue when I’m gone.
I’d like to issue that same challenge to you. Is church attendance the sum total of your St. Thomas involvement? Become an “unusual suspect.” Attend the Ministry Fair at 9:15 on October 8 and learn about the many opportunities to use your talents at St. Thomas.
If you’re already a ministry leader and you find that it’s getting harder to say no to things, channel some of your energy into meeting newcomers. Learn what their talents are and offer to nurture them.
As Christians, we are all called to work for God. But God’s work, while not always easy, should never be drudgery. Go where your joy leads you—you can bet there’s a ministry for you at St. Thomas.