Tag: serving

His Glory
Blog

Not Just a Volunteer

By: Christie Hampton

Is “volunteer” a bad word? So often the word “volunteer” is associated with a not so good meaning, such as “a person having little value.” When approached as a volunteer, we often revert to saying, “I’m just a volunteer.”

You’re not just a volunteer, you are a disciple of Christ partnering in the sharing of the gospel and God’s love. We have staff members, but our volunteers are critical to accomplishing our mission of encouraging those who hunger to be nourished by God. Our boards who govern and minister to the church are made up of volunteers. Most of our education, music, food pantry, and worship ministries are provided by volunteers. We may be grieving the loss or transition of several wonderful staff members right now, but the heart and soul of Holy Cross is in its members.

Serving is not always easy. Serving is taxing emotionally, physically and spiritually and there are times God could be calling us out of our comfort zones. Then why do we continue to serve? When serving, we can see God working in our lives and other people’s lives. As we serve, God is transforming us to be more like him – Jesus Christ. We are being sanctified to become mature followers of Christ. He fills us up through worship and Bible study so that we can serve and pour into others.


“Being a volunteer at Holy Cross and getting to work with the youth has been such a blessing and so rewarding. Not only do I get to watch their faith grow, but my faith also grows and strengthens.” – Tamara Forbis, Affirmation Teacher

     

“God gives us all unique gifts, and I have felt called to contribute where I can. Working with the broadcast team has given me the chance to give back.” – Eddie Putzier, Broadcast Team

  • Are you joyfully stepping up when God calls?
  • Or are you having reservations about the unknown about serving?
  • What gifts has God given you to use to share His love?

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s carried grace.” – 1 Peter 4:10.
If you are not sure what your gifts are, click here to take a spiritual gifts inventory.


“I love my God-given talents and interests, and truly enjoy exploring them. It’s that much more rewarding when you get to use them for the church, like saying thank you directly to God.”
– Kelly Alexander, Hymn Leader

Volunteering offers both rewards and challenges. May God continue to encourage you and bless you with the ability to see the joy of serving in the midst of transition here at Holy Cross. Praise God for filling us with the Holy Spirit! Praise be to God, who by His grace and power commands and enables us to be His witnesses to the glory of Christ.

To show our appreciation for the tremendous role that volunteers play at Holy Cross, we are having a Volunteer Appreciation Picnic at Fox Run Regional Park on May 23, at 6 p.m. Please join us as we give thanks to God for his people and look forward to the continued and new ministry that will be done through Holy Cross.

prayer
Blog

Helping Hands

By: Marcy Serby

Church is a family, not a weekly event. And because we are a family and God first proved his love for us through the sacrifice of his Son, we are called to love and care for each other. Love for God and love for our neighbor is the foundation of Christian living. 1 John 3:18 says, “Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.” Love is a verb. Love is action.

We are excited to offer you the opportunity to show love to each other through our new “Helping Hands” ministry. When a member has a short-term need – usually due to hospitalization, serious illness or death in the family – we want to provide food, transportation, or other help to carry them through their trial. And we guarantee double blessings! You will greatly bless the person you are helping, but you will also find yourself wondering who was blessed more – you or the person you helped.

You will be asked to complete a 5-minute survey telling us what, if anything, you will be able to do for your friends here at Holy Cross if there is a need. When you receive the survey through email or your church mailbox, please take a few minutes to complete it. This ministry is 100% dependent upon YOU and your family needs you!

The allegory of the long spoons talks about the difference between heaven and hell, but I see it as a story of joy received through serving out of love.

A man wanted to see what heaven and hell were like. God showed the man two doors. Behind the first one was a large round table with a large pot of stew. It smelled delicious and made the man’s mouth water, but the people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles and each could reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.

Behind the second door there was the large round table with the large pot of wonderful stew that made the man’s mouth water. The people had the same long-handled spoons that could reach the stew but not their mouths, but they were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The difference, God said, is simple. These people have learned to serve each other.

… that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. I Corinthians 12:2b-26