His Kingdom, Not Mine – Day 7

Posted on Feb 20, 2018 in Blog, Devotions, Guest Blogger, Lenten Devotional 2018 |

 
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,
for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28
 
This is a simple verse but it holds so much power. If we honestly love God, we are willing to work for His purpose, not our own. That is easy to say, but sometimes it can be hard to accomplish.
 
God has called me to work with children and youth. Throughout my adult life God gave me a passion to serve children and to influence young adults. I spent 15 years working for the School Board of Alachua County in their After School Programs. I used that outlet to show those students what they brought to the table – what gifts and passions they had been given – and how to use those gifts to better others’ lives.
 
God shut doors that I wasn’t meant to go through. He opened the ones that He had planned for me. Even in the midst of one journey, He closed the door I was walking through at the time. That closed door, at the time made me feel lost, like I didn’t have a purpose. I had forgotten who God made me to be. God’s timing is everything. That closed door led me to Servants, where I found a family to guide and love me as I am.
 
God restored my passion for children and youth. He showed me, and continues to show me, that He gave me specific gifts. I am to use those gifts to better His Kingdom, not mine. I may be loud and in your face. It may seem at times that I am driven, a never ending ball of energy. That comes from knowing I am where God wants me to be. Even when life feels overwhelming, I have a peace in my heart because I am where God has a purpose for me. That ministry is with our kids and teens at Servants. God has placed me in a ministry that I love. He uses that ministry to keep me close to Him, to grow in His Word daily and to learn from our children what it means humble myself before Him. I understand that I must be in a constant walk with Him, so I can help others find Him as well. To watch them have the joy of the Holy Spirit, to see them not be afraid to shout it from the mountain tops that they love Jesus, to watch them grow in God’s love, to see them figure out what He has called them to do for His Kingdom – these are blessings in themselves.
 
I know you love God. You want the work you do to be for His purpose. If you aren’t plugged into a ministry you may not know what that looks like. It looks like love, God’s love. When you think about serving, it should feel right. Not only while you are in the act of serving, but even the of act of praying over that ministry should bring you joy. I would encourage you to let God have control over your purpose, it’s His anyways. Pray that He would close the doors that aren’t meant to be, and push you through the one that has your name written all over it. When you hear someone mention a ministry and it feels like you are being pushed to stand up, that’s the Holy Spirit telling you to go. Let Him ignite a passion in your heart that only the act of serving and knowing that you are on God’s path can fulfill.
 
 
Kim Harris
 
 
 
Kim has been at Servants since the summer of 2014. In the fall of 2014 she joined the Servants’ staff as the Director of Children’s Ministries. Since then she has starting working in our youth program as well. She is actively involved in other children and youth ministries around our diocese, such as Camp Araminta, Dynamos, and Collide. She has been married to her amazing husband John for almost 16 years. They have three talented and spirited children: Katelynne, Kaycee, and Jack.
 

In Everything We Do – Day 6

Posted on Feb 19, 2018 in Blog, Devotions, Guest Blogger, Lenten Devotional 2018 |

 
The ongoing ministry I’ve been called to for this portion of my life is Dynamos. Dynamos is a weekend run by youth, for youth. The weekend is divided into team (high-school-age workers and adult chaperones), and candidates (essentially the campers for the weekend). The weekend is centered around a series of talks given by the team members and breakout sessions in small groups. We also have several surprises for the candidates to make an impactful experience for them. There are many candidates who have made a return to the faith at Dynamos, and even some who’ve made a first time commitment to Christ.
 
Right now, I’m the rector of Dynamos, which means I am in charge of details such as the schedule for the team meeting, inviting adults, sending out informational emails to the team, etc. This is my 7th time working team on Dynamos, and my 8th Dynamos overall. Dynamos has had a HUGE impact on me. Before Dynamos, the only two major youth events I had to look forward to were Camp Araminta in the summer and the All Souls ski retreat in the winter. Dynamos gave me two more opportunities every school year to get closer to God, which is huge because school can be monotonous and drag the spirit down. Dynamos gave me a sense of direction and purpose in my spiritual life. Through it I’ve learned how to become a better leader and discipler. The Spirit has revealed Himself to me at Dynamos several times, with the best story being from Dynamos 20.
 
On Dynamos 20 I was a group leader (a step out of my comfort zone), and I had a phenomenal group. I had the only group that year with mixed genders, with two 9th grade boys and two 12th grade girls. It was a group that shouldn’t have worked, but we got along really well. At the end of the weekend I got to pray for one of the members of my group, and she asked me to pray for her to have a return to faith. I recall praying that she would be “surrounded by Christians who would support her in her walk with Christ.” After I prayed for her, we sat at the fire pit with everyone else. Not too long after that she started crying. Quickly, the rest of the group and I laid hands on her to pray for her. Soon after that, other people came over to pray silently. Eventually, everyone at the fire pit were laying hands on each other, therefore “surrounding” her in supportive Christians. That was the first time that I saw an instant, tangible response to prayer.
 
Having a ministry like this does amazing things to one’s faith. For some people it may be hard to find a good ministry, but never give up hope! A few weeks ago Father James went over a long list of commitment needs in His sermon, so I know that there are always ministry opportunities out there. It doesn’t have to be anything too fancy or impressive. You may be called to build good relationships with people at your workplace, who knows? We can be ministering to people in everything we do. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7
 
Kieran Caspian Kirby
 
 
 
Kieran is a senior at P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School. This coming fall he will join the gap year program Agape Year where he will live in Pittsburgh, learning, training and preparing to travel for ministry to Thailand and other places. Look out for an opportunity coming in March to meet his team leaders and hear more about the ministry that’s already happening. He’s an actor, too, and you can see him this week in Pippin.

Greater Works Than These – Day 5

Posted on Feb 18, 2018 in Blog, Devotions, Guest Blogger, Lenten Devotional 2018 |

 
“…whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will (they) do…” John 14:12
 
I have always wrestled over this; the idea that God’s people are supposed to be miraculously healing the sick, driving out evil spirits, multiplying loaves and fishes. The Church is not known for doing those things. That has always frustrated me. But while recently fostering a little girl named Toby (who has since moved to a more permanent foster home), the meaning of these words was suddenly transformed from the expectation of a numinous miracle into the expectation of commonplace natural work. And in the same moment it dawned on me that the Gospel, while prescribing some guidelines for our lives, says little to prescribe the boundaries we should set around our households.
 
Toby is a sweet, gentle, curious six year old who is non-verbal and has autism spectrum disorder. She is wonderful. She loves being perched up high, and given the opportunity, she would climb on top of the chicken coop, the dresser in her room, or even the outside garbage can. These high places made her still and content. When she was in the house, she required constant supervision. And we learned the hard way that she must have clothes that separate her hands from her own dirty pull-up. (My wife is a saint, by the way).
 
Toby is wonderful. I love her. I wept over her difficult six years. In the three weeks she was with us, I came to have a deep love and homesickness for her that I have only felt toward my biological children. While Toby is gentle and curious, her care was incredibly difficult and challenging. She truly required constant hands-on supervision during waking hours. Our four biological children noticed the obvious diversion of our attention. She stretched us in ways that reminded me of having a newborn. Well, a four foot tall newborn that could reach the knives and played with her poop.
 
I have considered myself a Christian for most of my life, and sometime near the end of high school finally came face to face with Jesus, and “surrendered my life to Him.” Wrapped up in this was a recognition of and atonement for my immorality as well as a relationship with the One who made me, and also a desire to obey Jesus, which meant flight from sin, right? But that’s all incomplete. I have lived out the Gospel to date insofar as it has been reasonably convenient. It is reasonably convenient to pursue chastity because it blesses my marriage and children. It is reasonably convenient to love my neighbors because I gain their respect. You get the idea, right? But fostering is not reasonably convenient. It is a step of obedience that is unreasonably inconvenient. It often doesn’t feel right. Its victories seem momentary and even futile compared to the challenges looming behind them.
 
God’s entering humanity at Christmas was a helpful reminder to me that the escapism of my early faith was naïve and incomplete. I had pictured Jesus as a heavenly, bearded Caucasian man repelling out of a helicopter and carrying me back up to safety. And He did do that (minus the strong Caucasian and helicopter parts), but that is not all He does. He tells us that we will do “even greater works than these.” And those greater works are really, really hard. And they are overwhelming, and dirty, and untimely, and inconvenient, and costly, and almost never align with our weekend plans. I absolutely fumbled with and struggled through fostering that beautiful child. I wanted to quit every day. But while she was in our home we took things day by day. Ministry is hard. Some ministry is really, really hard. But that doesn’t necessarily mean we are not called to it. Indeed, the disciples left their nets (economy), their families (culture, identity, and security), their comfort (friends, traditions, beds, etc.).
 
Lastly I want to make it a point to mention that we do not do ministry in order to please God, or in order to fulfill all righteousness, or atone for our sinfulness. Jesus already does those things on our behalf. We do ministry, whether it comes easily, naturally, awkwardly, or brutally, as a response to Jesus and a pursuit of His face. It is and will be hard. But doing difficult things alongside Jesus, in obedience to Him, day after day, one step at a time, is the means of doing greater works in the Christian life.
 
 
Ethan Stonerook
 
 
 
Ethan is a husband, a father of four biological children (as he mentioned above), and a foster father. He and his wife became foster parents in September 2017. Ethan works in oncology, is involved with Young Life, is our Senior Warden and serves as a lay reader on occasion.

A Culture of Ministry – Day 4

Posted on Feb 17, 2018 in Blog, Devotions, Guest Blogger, Lenten Devotional 2018 |

 
For the past 24 years, Bob and I have owned or been owned by a service business. Although I never thought of this as a formal ministry, our business has certainly afforded me the opportunity to minister on numerous levels daily. And for us, it begins with our employees, who are our most important assets. We have always hoped to develop a culture of ministry which goes beyond just cleaning homes and businesses.
 
It wasn’t until several years in, when I had little ambition to grow our business, that something changed. I have always coached people to either be happy where they are or make a change. At the time, selling a business and making a change seemed so complicated. I couldn’t just give my two-week notice and pack my desk. I knew that just cleaning homes and making good money in the process was not fulfilling me, but how could I change to make what we do or how we do it to be more meaningful?
 
I started by agreeing to frequently visit the girls’ juvenile detention center and speak to the inmates about ambition and leadership. I was fortunate enough to bring in other female leaders in our community. The girls loved Ramona Chance. Some were uninterested and just wanted to be heard and others hopefully began to see potential in themselves. This energized me, too.
 
We also began to give free cleanings while women were going through cancer treatments through our “Cleaning for a Reason” program. We love how this can bless a family through a very hard time but just as importantly, our employees have been blessed to realize they are a part of a ministry. One long-time client was in her last stages of cancer but home in a hospital bed. One time when her cleaning team was there for their regularly scheduled visit, she requested that they sit with her a while and they prayed with her. She died a few days later.
 
Over the years, we have employed hundreds of people. I often pray for each of our current employees by name, sometimes to just ask God to make sure they get to work that day! We have always encouraged them to embrace the fact that they are doing more than just cleaning homes; they are impacting the life of the family who comes home at the end of their day to a fully clean house. We try to help them see the blessing they give through this. Often, I hear from a client that our company has actually helped them be a better parent by taking away stress and bringing a bit more peace into the home.
 
But to empower the employees to believe in this important ministry, they have needed to be ministered to also, like all of us do. We have loved them through their trials as they have done for us. I hope they know we love them as people first, employees second. Keeping this balance is sometimes difficult but I do believe they stay with our company so long because they do feel important and even in some cases, spiritually fed, even if they may not realize it.
 
I would suggest that we can all create a ministry in our workplace, where we spend most of our time. We can be the calm in a storm, the support in despair, and simply show joy every day. Showing joy is the best reflection of God and the best way to show His love. So hard some days, but so very simple too!
 
 
Carol Doak
 
 
 
Carol has been a member of Servants since it was founded, having been at St. Michael’s prior to that. She spends much of her time with work and taking care of her 93-year-old mother. She loves Gator sports, exercise, and travelling to see her kids who are scattered in Atlanta, New York City, and Virginia. She has been a part of some type of ministry during most of her time attending Servants.

Called to Serve – Day 3

Posted on Feb 16, 2018 in Blog, Devotions, Guest Blogger, Lenten Devotional 2018 |

 
I have learned that spiritual growth is a choice and is necessary to deepen our relationship with God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. It is making Jesus the Lord of our lives and submitting to the guiding power and blessings of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual growth is not the same thing as being religious. Religion comes from regimens of rigid traditions, ceremonies, and mandated deeds; originating in man-made rules or religious laws where obedience is often guilt-motivated. Godly spirituality does not come from what man has dictated, but from true and earnest desires from the heart to become righteous and more Christ-like in our everyday lives.
 
The New Testament says that Christians are commanded to serve one another. None of the words for service or ministry is restricted to the ordained clergy. Whether we are ordained or not, we are all called to serve the Lord by serving one another. We should minister to one another’s needs. God has given each of us a ministry. God has given us abilities so that we will use them to serve others. It has been said that the Lord doesn’t call the equipped; He equips the called. God used men and women with similar doubts to change the course of history. Moses didn’t think he was a leader or speaker, but God worked through Moses to bring Israel out of slavery. David was the youngest and therefore most insignificant of all his brothers, but God worked through David to defeat a giant and eventually made him a king. Paul used to kill Christians before he met Jesus, but he went on to become one of the most highly regarded and prolific writers/church planters in history. God doesn’t just want to work through you, He wants to work in you.
 
God has called me to prison ministry and I serve in two related ministries: Kairos Prison Ministry and House of Hope. Kairos is a Christian faith based ministry which addresses the spiritual needs of incarcerated men and women by sharing the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. House of Hope is a non-profit residential halfway house located in Gainesville, Florida. Their goal is to help men and women obtain a fresh start in life by learning the basics of living a Christ-centered life.
 
God has a plan for all of us and a cycle for everything we are planned to do in accordance with His will. To do all that life demands of us we must find balance by:
  1. Discovering our purpose in the world. Our purpose in life is to know God through His son Jesus Christ and to live for Him.
  2. Establishing our priorities. Setting priorities is not about choosing between what is good and what is bad. That has been settled when you decide to live out your purpose in life. Priorities have to be set when the choice is between what is good and what is best, between what will be beneficial and what is actually God’s will for you.
  3. Making a plan. You can understand your purpose and set your priorities, but if you have no plan on how to make it happen, it will never happen. Nothing is going to happen until you make it happen.
Your ministry will be unique to your personal gifts and calling, and you will have time for God to use you because you have made a plan. Just get involved in the ministry that God is calling you to and let God change your heart as you serve others.
 
 
Fred Cantrell
 
 
 
 
Fred is a retired administrator of the University of Florida. He joined Servants in the last year and a half and is treasurer for House of Hope where he uses his background in finance administration to aid the organization. As he mentioned above, he also works with Kairos Prison Ministry.

Bringing the Presence of Jesus – Day 2

Posted on Feb 15, 2018 in Blog, Devotions, Guest Blogger, Lenten Devotional 2018 |

 
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son,
purifies us from all sin.
1 John 1:7
 
A great way to fellowship with one another is to be a Eucharistic Visitation Minister (EVM). An EVM takes communion to the homebound and sick, in homes, hospitals, nursing homes and rehab centers. It is a ministry that blesses the EVM as much as it blesses those we visit.
 
An EVM brings the presence of Jesus, in the host and wine, to our members who cannot attend the worship service on Sunday. What could be more glorious? Often we get to share this with family and friends as well. I remember taking communion to Ben* at an assisted living facility in Lake City on a Palm Sunday. Ben was sitting outside on the front porch. As we began going through the readings and prayers, several residents joined us. They shared in our communion, asked for palms, and were eager for my return visit. It was a wonderful experience, like so many others I have had over the years of being an EVM.
 
I have read that efficiency, multitasking and busyness all kill intimacy. Most of my daily routine involves all three. Maybe it does yours too. This is not true when I am acting as an EVM. Time stops. We share the word of God, prayer and communion using a simplified liturgy. It is an intimate moment for all of us. It is fellowship and community in the presence of Jesus.
 
Being an EVM requires a small, flexible, time commitment that helps the homebound stay connected with their church family. You will be blessed by the intimacy, joy and comfort you bring to the communicants. Consider joining me on a visitation, especially during this Lenten season. Commit an hour of your time and come feel the presence of Jesus as we gather in His name.
 
 
Ramona Chance
 
 
 
Ramona has been at Servants since the beginning. She’s served as a chalice bearer since then and moved into the Eucharistic Visitation Minister role in 2010. Ramona loves reading, cooking, and hospitality. Years ago she was into costuming for theater and recently saw the traveling Star Wars Costume Exhibit at the Fine Arts Museum in St. Petersburg, FL (which was awesome!). Ultimately though, Ramona’s goal in life is mentor women. When she dies she doesn’t want to hear that she was a good lawyer (though that may be true), but rather that there are women whose lives are better because they knew her.

 

If you’re interested in accompanying Ramona on an EVM visit, you can contact her at rchance@mindspring.com.

 

*The person is real, but the name has been changed to protect personal information and to avoid any HIPAA violations.


Go Out & Seek – Day 1

Posted on Feb 14, 2018 in Blog, Devotions, Guest Blogger, Lenten Devotional 2018 |

 
 
The season of Lent is often a reflective and expectant time for most people. For me it is living in the reminder that Jesus fought for me and defied the odds. Jesus did this through the outlet of Young Life, which is also the ministry I am most involved in.
 
The mission of Young Life is one closest to the heart of God. Our mission is to seek the lost, disinterested and unchurched teenager. If we look at Jesus’ time on earth, “to seek the lost, disinterested and unchurched teenager” speaks closest to who He was/is and what He was/is about. He walked into the homes of cruel tax collectors, stood up for adulterous women and spoke to the blind beggar. This is a very small part of the character and actions of Jesus.
 
Young Life is all about Jesus. This ministry has been so attractive to me because Jesus gave me a Young Life leader that showed me the heart of Jesus and how He fought for me and is still fighting for me. The world has told me time and time again that I am not supposed to be a Christian and I don’t need Jesus. My flesh tells me I can do life on my own. But God is in constant pursuit. My rebellion isn’t enough for Him.
 
Being a Young Life leader has been the greatest honor. I get to chase after high school kids alongside Jesus. I am only paving the way. Through my relationships with the girls at Gainesville High School, I am constantly reminded that our God is for everyone. He isn’t just for the 30-year-old who has decided to settle down and have kids and “give up their life.” He is for all people, of all ages, of all backgrounds. He has wanted us from the beginning and He is always going to want us. Jesus is the definition of life. He is the definition of life to the fullest and life in abundance.
 
In the past couple years of being a Young Life leader, I’ve seen hundreds of kids come into a relationship with Jesus. This has happened at Young Life Camps, at Young Life Club on a Monday night, and at Campaigners (Bible study) group. All we have done is walk alongside our friends, going where they are instead of waiting for them to come to us.
 
In this season of Lent, let us go out and seek others. Let us seek out those who look nothing like us and those with whom our paths would not cross. Let us use this season to best reflect the life of our Savior. To serve God is to serve His people. To love God is to love our people.

 

Dish Gangulee

 

Dish began her time at Servants in The Share women’s Bible study group. She’s a senior at the University of Florida and will be graduating this spring. Dish has been with Young Life (YL) for over three years. She’s applied for a job as a Staff Associate with YL. If she gets the position, she will training for 2-3 years to become an area director – the heart of that job is caring for the YL leaders in her area and pursuing Jesus. Dish loves food and people, though not in that order. She loves to travel, too (mostly to see people). Please pray for her as she moves into this new phase of ministry.


A Little Plug For the Annual Meeting

Posted on Jan 31, 2018 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

 
Dear Servants,
 
This Sunday following our combined service at 9:30 we will have our annual meeting of the parish membership. I apologize to our 8am congregation and promise only to combine for the most important events. This is a legal requirement of our by-laws and our diocesan canons but it is also a wonderful opportunity to come together as a church community to share in all that God is doing in our midst. You may have suffered through other church business meetings, but to quote my friend David Foster, “I’ve never been in a church meeting like we have at Servants!” I promise you will be blessed by what we share.
 
It seems appropriate that this should also be World Mission Sunday. Archbishop William Temple was quoted long ago as saying, “The Church is the only institution that exists for those who are not yet its members.” By taking the name Servants of Christ, we proclaim our service to our Lord and to those He cares for in the world (John 3:16). Your Vestry continues to work towards organizing Servants in such a way that we can accomplish the most good for those we are called to serve in Gainesville to the ends of the earth.
 
If at all possible, I urge you to come to church Sunday and then share in our annual meeting. Even if you aren’t yet a member of Servants, you are welcome to listen and share in this important time as part of the body of Christ. Among other items being discussed, we will provide the congregation with an update on our new building plans. See you there.
 
 
Onward and Upward,

Invitation

Posted on Jan 24, 2018 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

 
Dear Servants,
 
During this season of Epiphany we hear the call to “make Christ known.” The good news of Jesus is too important not to be shared. Sometimes this looks like servant ministry in action: quietly serving children, women, and men in small acts of kindness. Yet, sometimes we are called to speak the good news with words. Peter reminds us above that we are always to be ready to give a reason for the hope that is within us. Who are the people you know that might be asking the question, “Where does your hope come from?”
 
Tomorrow night (January 25th) at the O’Connell Center, Ravi Zacharias and Vince Vitale will be speaking in an open forum at 7:00 pm. Let me encourage you to invite someone to go with you to hear the men speak with gentleness and respect about the person of Jesus. See you there.
 
Christ be known in our city!
 
 
Alex +  

Getting Into the Word in 2018

Posted on Jan 4, 2018 in Blog, Onward and Upward |

 
Dear Servants of Christ,
 
What a cold start to our new year here in Gainesville! I love the cold as much as anyone, but come on, this is Florida after all! Well, despite the frigid start, a new year is upon us! Have you made a re-commitment to reading Scripture daily as a part of your resolutions? The familiar Psalm verse above reminds us that God’s Word is essential to following the Lord in our daily life.
 
Last year at this time we shared multiple ways of incorporating the daily reading of Scripture into your routine. The feedback we received as a vestry and staff was that for some of you, this was an important step forward in your discipleship. A few years ago the vestry read a book produced by the Willow Creek Church in Illinois that found that daily Scripture reading was the number one factor responsible for spiritual growth in the life of a Christian. Even though we haven’t emphasized various tools this Advent and Christmas, my prayer is that you will continue to pursue reading Scripture as a rule of life that leads to your spiritual growth.
 
To that end, I want to let you all know that we will continue our weekly Evening Prayer service in our lovely chapel every Wednesday evening at 6:30. The liturgy lasts about thirty minutes and has been a blessing to many of you who have attended at some point during the trial period last fall. Our liturgy uses a selection from the Daily Office Lectionary created by the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). This link will take you there: Daily Office Lectionary.
 
I include that link so you may consider this new tool for daily reading yourself. Attending Evening Prayer on Wednesday could be a help in your weekly reading and also provide a place to discuss what comes up as you go through the entire Bible. Thomas Cranmer, the author of the first English Prayer Book, felt it essential to provide a way for God’s people to read through the entire Bible in a year. Our new ACNA leadership is carrying forward that vision through this lectionary. I have made a personal commitment to using the lectionary for my Scripture reading this year. Perhaps God would lead you to join me in this commitment.
 
Following Evening Prayer, you will be invited to look at a couple of the questions from the Catechism with some brief discussion. Anyone is free to just stay for the liturgy and depart prior to the Q&A. We may offer a similar study before or after the 9:30am service on Sundays or through a virtual study online. Stay tuned for details to follow.
 
Cold or not, the new year has started. May God direct your feet as you seek to follow Jesus in 2018.
 
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and the comfort of your Holy Word we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. –A Collect for the Second Sunday in Advent
 
Onward and Upward,

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