Ministry has taken many forms in my life and has always been an important part of my journey. I was first introduced to tangible ministry in high school through my youth group by doing service projects and mission trips. These first experiences built a foundation. I continued doing ministry in college through Young Life, where God developed in me deep joy in being used by God to serve others. As newlyweds, Sean and I found various outlets to serve together, one of which was Amor (building homes in Mexico).

 

As I transitioned into motherhood, I contemplated how my call to mission had evolved. I learned that my ministry focus needed to be on my family and I felt a peace and a joy about that role. I have felt enormous contentment being a part-time stay at home mother and a part-time speech-language pathologist.

 

A few years ago God surprised me through a group of young mothers from Servants, when together we formed the “SHARE,” a Bible study. I have been blown away by how God has used our group as a support system for the women at Servants and beyond. God has brought women into our group who have needed love, who have needed friendship, who have needed affirmation, who have needed support. I love to look back and think about all the beautiful women I have met through this group and the way our group has evolved over the years. Together we have walked through some intense situations, some deep hurt, and some times of joy and blessing. We have shared meals, laughter, tears, prayer, study, and of course, parenting struggles; but through these precious moments I have made deep friendships. I have loved seeing the barriers come down in this space that God has provided. We are serving each other through this season of motherhood, which can sometimes feel like survival. Life’s busyness along with our many roles and obligations can feel daunting and mundane. C.S. Lewis’s words here lead me to recognize and appreciate the friendships that I have made in the SHARE:

 

“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art…. It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

 

The SHARE has given value to my “survival” and I think that each woman who has been a part of the group would agree. We serve each other in many ways, whether it be meals, prayer, watching each other’s kids, or just letting each other vent; it has been a valuable ministry. Previously, I would not have considered a Bible study to be a ministry, but God has surprised me. Ministry takes many forms, and in this season one of its forms in my life is a small group of women walking through life together.

 

Acts 2:42

 

 

 

Caline McDermott

 

 

 

 

Caline and her family have attended Servants since 2012. She started with the SHARE 3 years ago (I think?). She works as a part-time speech-language pathologist at Glen Spring Elementary. Caline has also served as Community Group leader, organizes monthly meals for the homeless at Grace Marketplace, serves on the worship team, and makes meals for college Young Life leaders. Caline and her family are always looking for the next adventure, whether it be surfing, traveling to the mountains, listening to live music, or exploring new trails around town.

 

I have spent more than five of the last six years serving in a ministry that serves a very marginalized portion of our city – women who have been sexually exploited, enslaved, demeaned and demoralized, coerced into drug addiction – all to maintain the balance of power by their abusers. We went out onto the streets of Gainesville and to motel parking lots late at night in search of our Father’s daughters, because He wanted them found. We found them at St. Francis House, befriended them at strip clubs, met them on their own ground, without judgment. We prayed for them, if desired, and offered them a way out of “the life” if/when they were ready. Seldom was prayer rejected. We searched through posted jail photos and began visiting them there. Eventually we started Oasis, sharing a meal, sharing God’s love for them through ourselves, His Word and prayer, and worshiped Him together in song. We often supported our sisters at court hearings and spoke out in their support. That is a quick, though very incomplete, synopsis of what Created is all about.

 

Ministries in the Church can be divided in many ways. I see two divisions and believe that we have a responsibility to participate in both of these: to edify and build up the body of Christ locally and to grow the Kingdom by sharing the Gospel of our Jesus.

 

As a member of our church family, we have similar responsibilities to each other as we have in our personal families. We can love one another through our talents and abilities but also by servanthood: taking a meal, visiting the sick, and helping before and after church events, praying for one another, encouraging and uplifting one another.

 

The second kind of ministry is to those who do not know our Jesus. It is a call to mission. It isn’t a suggestion made by Jesus but appears as an authoritative command at the end of the book of Matthew: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me: go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” In Romans 12:1, Paul urges us “to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” I love the notion that spending ourselves for others sacrificially is an act of worship. I struggled so much with trying to balance my time serving others in ministry with making time for prayer and worship throughout the day, and all along I was worshiping my Lord in action. What a comfort and blessing to know it was one and the same and the struggle unnecessary.

 

Being obedient does not require joining an organized ministry but it might. It could be as simple as praying daily for the Lord to send divine appointments and to fill you with His Spirit to boldly share your life in Christ and His Gospel in those situations as the Spirit leads. Parenting can be mission – sharing Jesus with our children, serving them, modeling “living in Christ.” How we respond to Jesus’s call is not so important. That we respond is essential.

 

The blessings that came with serving in ministry were many. Intimacy with the Lord grew and I found myself in prayer more frequently: while driving, at the gym, making supper, lifting women up in all their need, myself for strength and endurance and for those on our prayer chain. I kept lists of those prayed for and loved checking off answered prayers. It all built my faith and my reliance on the Lord. Using my talents to fundraise for Created through the many sales events in the ministry blessed me as well. It brought great joy and helped me to further develop these God-given gifts. I also observed miracles happening – God coming through again and again for the women and all of it grew my faith.

 

We are the redeemed in a fallen world. Our gratitude to our Jesus for what He did for us on the cross should be so great that it drives us to most willingly spend ourselves sacrificially in any way that we can. Blessed to be a blessing; saved to show others the way to salvation.

 

Consider serving in ministry as mission. Take 15 minutes twice a week to be in His presence, simply to listen to His heart for you and for His world. I dare you!  And I dare you to pray this prayer that I prayed for the better part of one year while in discernment for missions: “Break my heart, Lord, for what breaks yours!”* I assure you He will show you exactly that corner of His heart that aches for a specific group of His people and He will lead the way for you to join or start that very ministry.

 

 

Nan Szypulski-Lewis

 

 

 

 

 

In 2012, I realized that I had lots of spare time in my days. I was no longer working and since my mother’s passing I no longer had to help with her care giving. I was looking for a place to volunteer. A friend, whose husband was the director of Gainesville Community Ministries, suggested I start there. They needed a Language Arts teacher, so that is the position I took. Twice a week I meet with students who, for a variety of reasons, do not have a high school diploma. We work on reading and writing – but mostly reading. I have also volunteered with the adult literacy program at the public library.

 

I cannot imagine what it must be like to not be able to read; to see street signs or store advertisements and not know what they are saying; to be given a note from your child’s teacher, written directions, or a piece of paper to sign and not being able to comprehend the words on the paper. Think of the number of verses in the Bible that instruct us to study God’s words – how do we study it if we cannot read and comprehend it?

 

One of my favorite parables from the New Testament is The Good Samaritan. As we go about our day, we come across opportunities to show God’s love to our neighbors; and as Jesus said, our neighbors are the people we encounter in our daily life. One of the lessons I take from this parable is that we are called to notice others and show kindness, but we are also called to make a commitment. The Good Samaritan promised that on his return journey he would check on the man he had helped.

 

My commitment is to meet twice a week with people who haven’t had the advantages or encouragement that I have been blessed with and to offer both of these to them. I encourage each of you to be aware of the neighbors God puts in your path.

 

 

Janice Ladd

 

 

 

 

God’s call to worship is so much more than singing songs. Don’t get me wrong. Music is a very important facet of worship, but God calls us to worship through our very lives. Serving the Lord by sacrificing our gifts, talents, time, and even our elbow grease is all worship.

 

 

God knew you before you were born. He’s responsible for your intelligence, humor, artistic/musical abilities, and your strong back. There is no question that He gifted these abilities to you for the purpose of worshiping Him. Jesus spoke of self-sacrificing love – love that puts others’ needs before your own through the action of service. This sets us apart from the rest of the world. While the rest of the world tells us that our time and talents are to be used to take care of ourselves first, Jesus tells us to serve others first.

 

Last summer I had the opportunity to volunteer with our young people leading the Flight Crew at Camp Araminta. The Flight Crew are for lack of a better term, the grunts of camp. Flight Crew’s responsibilities encompass everything from filling water jugs, to digging ditches, and cleaning toilets. The wonderful thing about it is how obviously the Holy Spirit begins to move through these high school students’ lives as they realize these acts of service are also acts of worship. A transformation happens as they have a new understanding that every lift of a shovel or scrub of a toilet bowl is worship to God.

 

 

Camp isn’t the only place this can be experienced. As we move into a new season as a church body, where is your service needed? We have opportunities to serve right here within our own church family. We need youth mentors, skilled (and unskilled) laborers, music team members, Sunday school teachers, home visitors, and people with technical abilities just to mention a few opportunities. I urge you to seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance to find where you are called to worship God through service within our church body. There’s no doubt that God has something incredible He wants to do through you, His servant, right here.

 

 

John Harris

 

 

 

 

 

In his book The Gifts of the Spirit, Derek Prince states that in ministry gifts, the believer himself (or herself) is Christ’s gift to His church. He is referring to the five ministry gifts Paul lists in Ephesians 4:11-13: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Worship leader, missionary, and prayer minister could be added to the list along with others. I believe that behind these highly visible ministry gifts are many hidden-figure gifts such as senders, servants, intercessors, and administrators. This is where my ministry gift lies. Yes, I am a prayer minister. At Servants, however, the Lord has been growing me as an intercessor. Intercessors stand in the gap for others in prayer. This can even mean sharing in their pain as a burden-bearer. Sometimes the pain and suffering around me is overwhelming. At other times the Holy Spirit is so present that praying is a great joy. Sometimes the prayers simply flow and at other times I feel like I am beating my head against the proverbial brick wall.

 

Several people have told me that I have a child-like faith. Being an intercessor has given me glimpses of what Jesus did for us on the cross. The cross was the ultimate act of intercession as described in Isaiah 53:4-5. I know what it feels like to enter one person’s suffering for a brief period of time. Jesus carried all of it as He hung on the tree at Golgotha. This is part of my deep faith.

 

I also have a wonderful relationship with my heavenly Father. I have experienced His healing touch and truth, which has made Scripture so real to me. I crawl into Abba’s lap when I am struggling and am brutally honest with Him. I have fallen asleep in the arms of the Holy Spirit. I have learned to listen to Him and often get words of knowledge, wisdom, and even prophecy for myself and those I intercede for.

 

As an intercessor, I have developed a deep compassion for people. Of course, there are areas of prejudice in me that the Lord is still working on, but He has brought me so far from where I started. I have even experienced deep compassion for people I don’t know.

 

Would it surprise you to know that I’ve struggled with feeling like a failure as a Christian because I am a failure as an evangelist? I might not be able to share the Gospel in words, but I witness in my actions as best I can and I pray. There would be no souls to save if there weren’t people praying for them. Think of the long list of credits that come after the actors’ names in the movie credits. They won’t win Oscars or get stars on a street in Hollywood, but the movie wouldn’t happen without them. Embracing a hidden-figure ministry is hard, but so worth it. After all, where would Christianity be if the women, the hidden figures of Jesus’ ministry, hadn’t gone to the tomb on Easter morning?

 

 

Elena Rhodes

 

 

 

 

David La Cagnina sent a link to the music team the week preceding the second Sunday of Epiphany that, in a really humorous way, emphasized this statement that God equips the called. That Sunday Fr. James preached on God’s call to Samuel and then challenged our church body to really discover what areas of ministry we are called to. During this season of Lent, as we prepare to start a new chapter in the life of SOC, what ministry/ministries are we called to?

 

At this time music ministry is the area that I am most called to even though I am not a particularly talented vocalist/musician. I have been called to music ministry at different times and situations over the years as an adult believer. My call to the music team at SOC was different. In the past I was asked to participate by a leader of the team. This time I felt called to go to the leader and ask if I was needed. It took me a while to respond. If I recall, I prayed about it for about a year. Was this really a calling or just my wanting to sing? (I do love to sing.) I didn’t want to impose or make anyone uncomfortable. I didn’t want to be given a yes answer just because I asked.

 

One of the questions we are to answer in this devotional is what are the spiritual results of this ministry commitment? Well for me asking David if I could be part of the music team definitely took me out of my personal comfort zone. God equips the called. I definitely spend more time in God’s word as a result of my participation. Increased prayer time has been a natural outcome of my preparation for both rehearsal times and Sunday worship.

 

Another question we are to answer is what was the impact of my participation in ministry on my family with regards to their spiritual growth. The answer to that question has been more difficult to answer. I decided I needed to have conversation with my children and my husband to get that answer. The common theme in their answers were that overall the impact of my participation in ministry has had a positive influence on them spiritually. My children desired to and did participate in various church ministries because of that influence. My middle child especially has developed a heart for service. The other common theme was that, at times, I was out of balance or “biting off more than I could chew.” Those conversations prompted me to really consider my decision-making with regards to ministry participation when I was raising my children, being a helpmate for my husband and working outside of the home. Did I, at times, neglect the priority of ministry to my husband and children to do “work” at the church? The difficult answer to that question is yes I did. Why did that happen? I neglected to spend adequate time in prayer and discernment when deciding to become involved in a particular ministry. Including my husband and children in the process should have happened more often than it did. Now that I am older and more mature, prayer, discernment and discussion with Pete is a given, but I wish that spiritually maturity could have occurred sooner than it did. Finding that balance between our ministry to family and church is tricky but I believe that God is faithful and will guide us when we ask. The point is that we have to ask!

 

Looking forward I continue to seek God’s guidance with regards to ministry participation both within our church community and outside of it. God has an opportunity to “grow us up” when we participate in ministry both in and out of our church community. If you haven’t participated in a spiritual gifts survey consider doing so. It can open your eyes to new possibilities that you might not have considered before. As we go through the season of Lent I pray that each of us will seek God’s plan for our participation in ministry to His service. Amen!

 

 

Libby King

 

 

 

 

 

I sing with the worship team at church at least once a month and on the worship team for my school’s chapel. At the beginning of the school year, I struggled with singing in front of my peers because I feared I would be judged by my classmates. Since then I have thought about it and have decided that it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. It’s more about who I’m serving and who I’m ministering to through the music. It’s not a performance; the time is meant for worship. It doesn’t matter if you’re a talented singer or if you sing off-key, God finds it praise to Him either way.

 

I don’t always have the right attitude about serving on the worship team. There are times that I’d rather sleep in or socialize with my friends. Sometimes I’d much rather sing the songs I want, when I want; but that’s not how ministry works. Through my parents, I have learned that God calls us to minister alongside Him and that it’s not about us, but His glory. Sometimes I don’t want to hear the same-old truthful words that tell me I’d be doing it for the Lord. But reality is, you must put in work as a servant. It’s not always going to be easy, but it’s worth it. As the Bible says, the body cannot work without each part. I’ve come to learn that the Church cannot work without each ministry and each person who serves in that ministry.

 

After singing at the Advent services, I came to realize that God rewards your commitment, even though you might not notice it in the moment. He has rewarded me by changing my attitude and reminding me to serve every chance that I have. Serving on the church worship team gives me a unique opportunity to serve with my dad doing something we both love. Even if I may not enjoy the work I need to put into it, I’m doing it for God. How can I sit when I can be praising Him with the voice He’s given me and for all that He’s done for me?

 

I would encourage those thinking about starting or joining a ministry that even though there may be a lot of work to be done or you may be tempted to do something else, God will bless you and others through the ministry you’ve been called to.

 

 

Bella La Cagnina

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the past few years I have been looking for a ministry that fits in with my schedule of being a full time mom to two small children. I often told myself that my family was my ministry, but as I poured more of myself into parenting, I became more and more inwardly focused, which quickly became unhealthy. One of the things I knew I was lacking was an active ministry. Last year I was given the opportunity to lead a small group of college girls in a Bible study and jumped at it. I didn’t jump because I was excited about giving up time with my kids (I LOVE hanging with my kiddos), but because I knew the benefits of being in ministry far outweighed the sacrifices. See for me, ministry isn’t selfless.

 

As a young Christian in college I became a Young Life leader (Young Life is a non-denominational outreach ministry to high school and middle school students.) Through this ministry I gained a tight-knit community. As leaders we leaned on each other to do our ministry. I also had the joy of watching high schoolers decide to follow Jesus, which words cannot express the awesomeness of this experience. Being challenged by high schoolers with questions forced me to be in the Word and growing in my faith. To put it simply, sharing my faith grew my faith.

 

Now as a Bible study leader for college girls, many of whom are Young Life leaders, I am gaining the same experiences. I and my family have gained community, we love being around these amazing ladies who are following after Jesus while in college. I love that my boys have so many truly loving and giving souls around them regularly. I am challenged in my own faith and am held accountable to be in scripture and prayer, because how could I ask others to do what I am not doing? Hearing about each girl’s struggles and joys keeps me from falling into the “me, me, me,” inward-focus and helps me to remember to focus on others, which is a healthier place to be.

 

Please consider joining a ministry; meet God in His work so you can take part and go along for the ride. Because where God is working you will find challenges, but you will also find community, growth, encouragement and a deeper faith.

 

 

Mary McCready

 

 

 

 

Prayer and dependence on God are essential in life although often difficult to maintain! My children are now grown, and the house is much quieter, but I still remind myself to sit quietly, saying, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” As followers of Jesus, we have to seek environments where we hear God’s voice.

 

It strikes me that God did not speak to Samuel after he completed his theological training or achieved some other milestone. He spoke before Samuel was even able to recognize God’s voice! God wants closeness with each of us to give guidance. If we take time to pause and listen, we are often surprised! Trusting in God prepares our hearts for the tasks He calls us to do (Proverbs 3:5-6).

 

My husband Bob and I became involved with “DeafWorld”—a term coined to identify the cultural/linguistic experience of deaf and hard of hearing people—in the mid-1980s. Our close friends, who are deaf, taught us sign language and were very patient with us. Together we ministered to deaf and hard of hearing teens. We remain grateful for these friendships and influences on our journey.

 

Trusting God, we decided to build our family through adoption of older children, including adopting our youngest daughter, who is deaf. As she entered her teen years, we saw a spiritual battle within her. She felt like God was a “hearing God” and could not relate. Though being active in church and youth group with interpreters, she perceived faith as only for hearing people. As a mother, I was crushed to think one of my children did not think God could communicate in her heart language – American Sign Language (ASL). This is not fair; everyone should have the right to make sense of the Gospel, in any language or context. We researched and realized that the Christian faith in DeafWorld had become almost extinct. As we struggled to help meet her spiritual needs, we sensed God’s leading to establish a national outreach for deaf and hard of hearing teenagers.

 

Deaf Teen Quest was established in 2000. Over the years I have volunteered in various roles with this ministry while working full time as an Occupational Therapist in the local school system… and being the mother of five children. Whew! It was chaotic and certainly some ‘spinning plates’ crashed along the way, but God—who is always faithful—carried us through. We serve an amazing God who has spread this ministry across the country as part of Youth for Christ USA.

 

So now, during this part of my journey, I pause to hear God’s voice again. Over the past year, God put it on my heart to develop widespread prayer for this ministry. I am currently coordinating and establishing prayer groups for Deaf Teen Quest in every state. Praying for the leaders and teens we know, and for those to come, listening to God, being open, gratefully following, and responding, to join in with whatever He is doing.

 

“Lord, help me learn your ways.

Show me how you want me to live.

Guide me and teach me your truths.

You are my God, my Savior.

You are the one I have been waiting for.”

Psalms 25:4-5

 

 

Kathy Ayres

 

 

 

 

Since 2009 I have been guiding the Prayer Ministry at Servants of Christ. The Prayer Ministry grew out of a felt-need for the Body of Christ to be praying for one another’s specific needs. Deborah Bateman had suggested that a basket be available in the back of the church in which written prayer requests could be placed. Those who felt called to pray could lift up those needs to the Lord God. Soon it was apparent that some effort was needed to organize and maintain the fledgling ministry, along with a need for confidentiality. The Monday Women’s Fellowship had long been praying for one another, sharing and, eventually, sending out those prayer requests via email. Having realized the central place of prayer in Jesus’ ministry, I was developing a deeper interest in prayer and (at the request of our rector) I agreed to administer the prayer requests of our parish family. I drew together a group willing to commit to prayer and started emailing our “Prayer Chain” the prayer needs as they were received.

 

God’s timing was perfect! In 2009, Arty Hart, pastor at the Vineyard, conducted a Five-Step Healing Seminar, and, then in early 2011, the Vineyard offered the Christian Healing Ministries “Levels of Healing Prayer Class,” led by Bobbie Zeman and Carmen Lander. I, along with others from Servants, signed up for Level I followed by Levels II, III and IV, completing all four levels in 2012. By then the Prayer Ministry at Servants had grown to include, in addition to the Prayer Chain, Sunday Prayer Teams, “Operation Rolling Thunder” (an ecumenical nationwide prayer movement now known at Servants as United Day of Prayer), and Soaking Prayer, which is offered once-a-month.

 

In a ten-year search for truth earlier in my life I was led to Jesus as the Truth, that deep knowing that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. As Jesus made abundantly clear in His life on earth, we are to be about His work today – making disciples, learning to do all that Jesus said. I had to act on the trust that I had in the Lord. I knew Jesus prayed and taught His disciples to pray, so that became my work. Healing prayer ministry “is part of the Great Commission of Matthew 28 where Jesus tells his disciples to make new disciples and to ‘teach them to obey everything I have commanded you’ (verse 20).” (from “Come Holy Spirit” by David Pytches, p. 153)

 

Our Lord taught me, through His Word, healing prayer classes, and my experiences of praying with and for others, the power of prayer, which is, essentially, the power of His love at work. Knowing what others in our church are dealing with in their lives, in the lives of their families or loved ones, their struggles and deepest needs, heartaches and losses and then praying with them in their time of need knits us together as the Body of Christ. When we listen, love and pray, Jesus is present – healing and restoring. St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians that the Father of mercies and God of all comfort comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. His compassion for those who are suffering is made available, sometimes by having shared similar sorrows or sickness, or by walking through the difficulties together over time because we go together to the Throne of Grace, to the God for Whom nothing is impossible. It is God’s help and His power for He said, “I am the God who heals you.” (Exodus 15:26)

 

Notice that the cross is the letter “I” crossed out. Today, come, make your self available. Say “Yes” to serving our Lord and Savior at the next opportunity to your everlasting joy and to the praise and glory of His Name.

 

 

 

 

Mary Langeland