Show Me The Missions

What is important to you when it comes to finding a church? I know it is different for everyone.  Some people want a modern, contemporary church.  Others seek something more traditional.  I think for everyone, they are looking for a church that makes them feel comfortable and welcome and that aligns with their basic beliefs, which among different denominations (and even churches of the same denomination) can vary greatly.  For me, it is all about the mission work.  That is what I need in a church.  I need to see what good works they are doing in the community.  

Almost three years we have searched for a church in Washington, although I have to admit, sometimes we searched harder than others.  Also, I have to admit that I have had a hard time of letting go of my church at home, St. Luke United Methodist in Columbus. It is where all three of my children have been Baptized, where one of my dearest friends is also my minister, where I worked in the nursery as a teenager and where Dr. Brady led me through my own Affirmation of Faith at around my 8^th month of pregnancy with Lila.  I’ll never forget him telling me after the service that after he had me kneeling down at the front of the church, he thought that maybe he shouldn’t have made me kneel. I was HUGE!!!  Then he grinned and said, “But then I thought there were a few doctors in the congregation if we needed them.” However, those attachments weren’t even the primary reason that I compared all other churches to St. Luke; it was the amazing spirit of giving that was a part of that church family.  There were so many opportunities to get involved in helping others, whether it be at December First Saturday, Samaritan Fund, the food pantry or mission trips.  Now, they have even further expanded their missions to include a relationship with an orphanage, Naomi’s Village, in Africa and the support of MercyMed, a non-profit medical clinic in Columbus.  (http://www.stlukeum.com/#/outreach-and-mission/local-outreach ). 

During our search for churches here, we have visited a variety of denominations and types of churches, from huge, contemporary mega churches to smaller, local churches.  However, every time we visited, I was left feeling like Cuba Gooding, Jr. in Jerry Maguire where he is yelling “Show me the money.”  However, I was yelling, “Show me the missions.”  We just weren’t finding what we needed. So, we determined we would just keep looking. We added it to our nightly prayers with our children.  “Dear God, please lead us to a church were we need to be, where there is a spirit of giving, where we can help do your good works.”

Luckily, God did hear our prayers. A friend of mine from high school just recently moved up here and is an associate pastor at a Methodist Church in a nearby town.  It is a bit of a drive, but I felt like maybe it was a sign that we should visit.  The first time we went, we felt welcomed, engaged and immediately got a glimpse of some of the church’s mission work.  The next Sunday we attended, it was the stewardship sermon and man, did we get to hear about what they were doing in the community and given an opportunity to get involved in a ministry that we both feel so strongly about, helping the homeless in our community.  YES!!!

Of course, you know that saying “Be careful what you ask (pray) for.”  I have had to giggle about that several times lately.  At Protestant Women of the Chapel, yesterday, our group program was on mission work.  Much of our morning was spent studying Matthew 25.  Two of the parables, “The Parable of the Talents” and “The Parable of the Sheep and Goats” (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25), really spoke to me.  These parables remind us how important it is to share our gifts with others as well as take care of those that are in need. Then, this morning, in Lila and my daily devotion, “Mommy & Me, 100 Daily Devos for Moms and Their Little Girls” the topic was sharing. Our bible verses today included:  The one who has two shirts must share with someone who has none, and the one who has food must do the same. –Luke 3:11. If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? James 2:15-16. Today’s prayer was, “Dear Lord, let us find ways to help other people. Jesus served others; we can too.  We can share our possessions and our prayers.  And, we can share kind words with our family and friends, today and every day.  Amen.”

I’ve always been told to listen closely to God’s whispers, but in the past few days, I am reminded that sometimes he yells. Today, I feel like he is yelling my own words back to me, “Show me the missions.”  My challenge to myself is to make sure I am doing God’s good works, helping those in need and sharing my talents, as well as teaching my children to do the same. My prayer is that God will lead me to where I can do this best.