Doing My Part

As you probably already know, life in the church can be gratifying. We make friends we would never have otherwise. We learn things about ourselves and others that help us become better people. We learn to see God at work in many circumstances. Our gratitude grows. I could go on.
For most people, life in the church begins with worship. As they get more comfortable and start to feel like this is their church home, they want to be a part of what the church is doing. When we join the church, we pledge to support the church “with our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness.” Here are some great ways to live out that pledge.

• Prayer—Duh! As disciples, we should develop a habit of prayer and remember to include our church, its members, and its pastors when we do so. This is simple yet often neglected. Besides personal prayer, we can join a prayer group, the visitation group, or Stephen Ministries. These all offer opportunities to pray.
• Presence—Presence is often overlooked. Our presence in worship can make a huge difference. You never know when God might use you to say just the right thing to a friend, or even a stranger, in need of an encouraging word. The preacher (or some other speaker) might say just what you need to hear that helps with a particular issue. I know that a room full of people contains a lot more spiritual energy than a room half-full. The worship becomes more inspiring and enjoyable, not because you are here, but because we all are here.
• Gifts—Shalimar UMC does a great deal of good. Most of it would not be possible without the money to pay for building upkeep, utilities, payroll, missions, and various ministries. No matter how much or how little, what you give helps keep things going and even growing!
• Service—One of the greatest joys of church life is working side by side with our friends to do the Lord’s work. Whatever your circumstances—work on weekends, kids at home, limited mobility—there is always something that can be done. Do you love children but don’t have the time to make a significant commitment? Even one hour a month is a great help. Do you want to help but are physically limited? We have prayer ministry, card ministry, visitation ministry, and more. Do you love music but can’t sing or play an instrument? There are so many ways to help with our worship arts.
• Witness—I know the word witness can cause many people to freeze. But set aside the image of knocking on doors and consider that the most significant impact you can make in someone’s life is to invite them to church simply. Invite a friend and take them to lunch afterward. God will use the occasion to open doors for discipleship. There are so many other simple ways to share your faith. Just be a friend and offer them, Christ.