Paul writes to Titus in Chapter 2
2Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.
3Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.
6Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.
Parents (and others), I’ve been thinking:
We’ve got to do a better job of modeling service to our teens and children. Ironically they are the ones who are wanting to serve and reach out but typically lack the experience and resources to actually put something together. We are doing that in the context of the “official” youth ministry program with leaf-raking, nursing home visits, working at North City and other things. But what we are teaching our kids is that unless it is a planned church (or youth group activity) there’s no where I can serve. All this leads to is everyone waiting around wondering when someone’s going to plan something. It perpetuates the “me church” mentality.
It’s time to take action. The e-mail below that Bill sent out the other day is a perfect example:
Moms – wouldn’t it be cool if you called Bill right now (see e-mail below) and said “I’ll take June” and sometime toward the end of May you and your daughter (sons would probably like this too) called 2 or 3 other girls (this can be for elementary or youth group aged girls – and by the way – call girls they don’t normally hang out with) and said “come to our house on Friday night (or Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning) and we’re going make communion bread and hang out.” Several things are happening: 1) you’re modeling service to your daughter and a few others, 2) you and your daughter are building relationships with girls in the group, 3) you are getting to serve as a mentor to others 4) the communion bread situation is taken care of.
Don’t get hung up on gender or specifics – For instance:
Dads – there are several widows, and older folks in our congregation (as well as right across the street from our building) who need things done around the house. It’s spring time - trees have died, shutters have fallen and the grass needs mowed. Talk to Wade or the elders and say “I want to model service for my son and a few of his friends – who needs something?” better yet, go directly to someone and say “I need to show my son how to serve, do you have something that needs done which will allow me to do that with him and couple of his buddies?”
- Instead of your child and friends, it could just be a family activity that you do together.
- Instead of a child or a teen it could be someone who is not engaged in body life at Lafayette because they don’t know where to jump in
Here are some other ideas (just off the top of my head – this is not an exhaustive list)
- Computer work for the elderly (my in-laws recently needed some help and someone from church came to reset their modem and get them up and running so they can send e-mails to their grand children)
- Make cookies or a meal and take to someone in need
- Plant flowers for someone who can’t spend the afternoon on their knees
- Go do a couple loads of laundry for someone (you get the added benefit of teaching your kids how to do laundry without ruining your clothes)
- Have your kids grab wet baptismal clothes after a baptism and take them home to wash
- Write cards and notes to shut-ins and military (Becky or Carol can get you a list)
- Take communion to shut-ins (Jack Coffey would love to go with you!)
- Clean someone’s windows who can’t climb a ladder
- Babysit for a young mom who just needs to get away for an hour
- Help Sean Moore with Room at the Inn
- Take a job on the upcoming clean-up day and tell Bill not to worry about that
- I’m sure many of you could add to this list but the point is there are tons of ways to serve
Don’t forget the primary purpose of this note is to engage our children (or others who aren’t already doing so) in serving and us in mentoring. It’s easy to throw together communion bread – communion bread isn’t the desired goal. Relationships are – isn’t that what communion is about – otherwise it’s just a sacrament and another hole punched in the religious card of going to church instead of being the church. Will it take longer to “get the job done”? Most likely but in church work and relationships the process is more important than end result.
The serendipity to serving is that I gradually become less consumed with me – which ironically is what God calls us to do.
From: everyone-bounces@lafayettechurch.org [mailto:everyone-bounces@lafayettechurch.org] On Behalf Of Bill Hirth
Sent: Monday, April 14, 2008 11:15 AM
To: Everyone
Subject: [Everyone] Communion Bread
Hi Everyone
We are looking for 3 or 4 people to make communion bread for our Sunday morning assemblies. Kathy Crown has been doing this for quite some time now and would like a break. We already have the recipe for you. Each recipe makes enough bread for 3 Sundays so with 3 or 4 people on a rotation you would only have to make it once every other month or so. If you would be willing to help out with this please let me know. This is a small task but is very important to us in our weekly worship assemblies.
In Him
Bill Hirth
Worship and Facilities Minister
Lafayette Church of Christ
115 New Ballwin Rd
Ballwin, MO. 63021
636-391-6697-office
636-394-2338-fax
bill.hirth@lafayettechurch.org
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