As I have aged it takes me longer to get my body moving in the morning (2-3 hours). I sleep later (now it’s often 6:30AM), and because of that it requires a bit more effort on Sundays when I want to get to services that begin at 9AM (or earlier if I need to make the Team Meeting). When I walk into that church lobby, however, all the effort is worthwhile. I see the faces of people I love. I see great men and women of God.
Too often we equate great men and women of God with high drama – with flamboyance. I tend to disagree. For me, great men and women of God are the ones who quietly show up every week to make the church open and available to all.
I see them working security, welcoming at the front doors, providing coffee with smiles and greetings. They usher, they pray, they run the sound and video equipment. They sing or play instruments and lead us into the Very Presence of God each week. They clean up, straighten up, and follow up. They teach children and rock babies. Yes, we need our pastors and administrators, but without all the others, they would not be able to function as God intended.
One of the greatest blessings I had when pastoring was a family that week in and week out served to lead worship. They rarely missed a Sunday, and when they did, they always arranged for replacements. They took the burden off my shoulders – I never worried about Sunday Morning Worship Service. I am eternally thankful to them for that blessing.
This is the church. Are you part of it?