Dual Blogging Liberties
Since I am dual-blogging, and don’t have enough time and ideas to share between two places, I will be taking major liberties in re-posting things that I write for Quest Church on our Global Village Blog
I came across this story today and absolutely LOVED the practical examples it provided of what family ministry actually looks like. As we enter our second year of officially being a “Children & Family Ministry”, we are always reflecting on what it means to be in ministry to children and families in the church and the larger community. This story comes from Family Ministry, by Diana R. Garland. I’ve taken a few liberties and modified wording to reflect the language and context of Quest Church:
JoAnn and her husband are active members of their congregation and have two young daughters. A compassion/justice team in their church was formed to sponsor a refugee family from Bosnia. JoAnn was so involved in other ministries that she did not volunteer to be part of the QJC team, but she followed its activities with great interest, and she and her husband wrote a check to help with the expenses of the refugee family.
The team was gathering furniture to furnish an apartment prior to the family’s arrival. One of JoAnn’s friends mentioned in Sunday School that they had everything they needed except a chest of drawers; the team had nothing in which the family could put clothes.
After the worship service, JoAnn walked toward the parking lot chatting with her friend Marta, her daughters running ahead of her. Her husband had to work that day and was not at church. As the two friends walked down the sidewalk, they passed a yard sale across the street, and a chest of drawers was prominently displayed. Turning to JoAnn, Marta said, “I’ll go half if you will put up the other half.” They talked to the owner, haggling a bit and explaining the reason they wanted the chest. Satisfied that the price was reasonable, Marta asked if JoAnn could cover the cost until Marta could go to the bank on Monday. But JoAnn had no cash either.
John, another church friend, was walking by, and JoAnn hailed him and asked if he could lend them the price of the chest. He happened to have his checkbook and pulled it out.
Next came the issue of how to transport the chest. JoAnn called over her daughters and handed them a drawer to carry between them. Several other children and teenagers walking toward the parking lot were pressed into service. JoAnn and John carried the chest itself. The chest of drawers became quite a parade, with laughing and kidding among the carriers. The chest was placed in a Sunday-school classroom, and the committee was informed it was there to be transported to the refugee family’s new apartment.
This event was family ministry on several levels. First, it addressed the concrete needs of the refugee family…relationships in the community of faith were strengthened…sharing work that contributes to goodness give purpose and meaning to relationships beyond simply the gratification of mutual affection…Christian education took place. JoAnn and Marta demonstrated a spirit of “willing readiness” for ministry to the children and youth they involved in the chest parade. [Ministry] takes place as the saints walk through life sensitive to need and ready to respond…each child and youth had the opportunity to experience the meaning of Christian faith. Moreover, each child and youth recognized their own significance in the project…By it’s very nature, an experience of family ministry, family-in-ministry, such as this cannot be programmed. Yet a program of the church- resettlement of a refugee family- laid the groundwork. And a spirit of “willing readiness” had been instilled.
What a beautiful example of what happens when we are ready to be God’s hands and feet, extending love to our neighbor, and inviting others to join us along the way. Lives are impacted in ways that may go deeper than we can fully understand.
