A Few Of the Assets of my Church

1.  Two weeks ago a thirteen-year-old girl came up to me and asked if  she could Sing Holden Evening Prayer for one of our Lenten Services.  I said, "yes."  She practiced and she sang this last Wednesday.  Perfectly.  In a beautiful, clear voice.

2.  Tomorrow we are having first communion for ten fifth graders.  One of them is also going to be baptized at the service.  So I thought I'd ask the class members if they would come up for the baptism, and also if a few of them could help with the baptism.  "Who would like to help pour the water?" I asked.  They all raised their hands.  I picked two of them.  "Who would like to give him his candle?"  Several hands went up as well.  I had to pick one.  "And who would like to say the words, 'let your light so shine before others....'?"  They all would.  they all will.  Shine their light, that is.

3.  A couple of weeks ago someone asked about doing a "Pot luck dinner for World Hunger."  They already have asked two other people to serve on the committee.  We do have to find out the rules for pot lucks (according to the health department).  By the way, I think it's a terrific idea.

4.  Five people from my congregation wrote beautiful devotions for each week in Lent, each on one of the "I am" statements.

5.  There is a couple who come to wash dishes every week after the soup supper.  They also like to bring a  goat, a chicken, or some or another exotic animal to our (now it seems) Annual Animal Blessing Service.

6.  A young mom recently emailed me with her passion for "whole family faith formation" -- not just teaching the children, but helping people of all ages grow in their faith.

7.  There is so much music at our church:  piano, guitar, bass and drums, voices, organ,chimes, bells, children's voices, babies crying and babbling.  There is the high school student who plays the guitar at the contemporary service.  There is the occasional flute, or oboe. 

A good pastor is a a wonderful asset.  But so are all of you.