The Dance of the Church

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’[c] feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”

--Jesus Cleanses Ten Lepers (Luke 17:11-19)

Kirk and I stood in the cave that is believed to be where the ten lepers were kept as to not make anyone else unclean by being near to them. It was small with a few nooks and crannies with a very small hole through which light came in and sounds from the world above could be heard. The thought of ten sick men, covered in sores, confined to this small, dark space for an unknown timeframe was overwhelming. The thought that kept running through my head was, “how could only one of them return to give thanks to Jesus? How could they be so distracted and self- absorbed?” And the one man that did return was a foreigner thought to not know or believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 

Each year in the fall, we are invited to pray and discern what God is calling us to commit to give to the church of our time, our God-given gifts, and our money. For Kirk and me, it is more about remembering why we give and why we make the decision to tithe. 

• We give out of thanksgiving for God at work in our lives.

• We give in response to the abundant generosity of God that is poured out endlessly in our lives through the relationships we have as a family, as friends, with members of our faith community, and in the world. 

• We give because it brings us joy to participate in the life of St. David’s and to be part of the mission and ministry of our church. It is an exciting and life-giving community. 

We strived towards a tithe years ago and tithe today for several reasons.



• Tithing, or giving 10% of our very best and first fruits is what God asks of us throughout the Bible.

• Money and how we spend our money can easily distract us from our relationship with God or tempt us to become self-absorbed with no awareness of our need for God. We are tempted by what the world says we “want or need” to make us happy. Happiness is a temporary, an in the moment emotion, whereas the joy that comes when you give sustains us through the good and the rough times. For us, ten percent keeps our eyes and hearts aware of God at work in the world because we feel it; it is sacrificial. 

Above our tithe to our church, we give to ministries that we have been blessed by and are making a difference in the lives of others, such as Growing the Tradition, Camp Capers, Duncan Park, Mustang Island, Seminary of the Southwest, and others. Watching God at work in and participating in that work through giving of our time and money is joy-filled and life-giving, and it helps keep our eyes and hearts on following Jesus.

I invite you to give to the work of your church and to strive towards tithing; it turns your heart towards Jesus and grounds you in gratitude. 

Peace,

Lisa +

I felt no hesitation when responding to a simple request: Will you go on a mission trip with a bunch of kids to help with Harvey relief in Houston? For a week? Mallory had been asked several times, and either was unable to go, or hesitant. When my call came in, I was ready to say yes. My employment situation was in flux, and I believed there was an opportunity for me to use my various skills for some sort of good, although that was unclear at the time of my agreement. 

As the trip approached, there was still no clear definition of what mission work the group would be asked to do. I learned many things from my father, but, among the most poignant and useful is the ability to accept anything that comes my way with an open mind. I had no problem with a lack of information about what we would be doing. I knew that the organizers did not have a clear idea about what we would be doing. The spirit of the trip was to show up and contribute in any way possible. Surely, there would be plenty of opportunities. I was working on faith that I would be in a position to do something great for a group of people that I had never met. As the trip approached, I believed that I would be able to accomplish something important, regardless of what I was asked to do. We picked up at the vans and the trailer, and set out on a very humid Sunday morning, prepared to answer the call. 

After we arrived, I began to see that I was destined to be on this mission trip. I was the only male that said yes to being a chaperone, and I also seemed to have experience with almost every task that the host organization was asking of our group. We went to an Astros game, and Sarah asked me if I had ever built a fence (Yes). An inning later, Sarah asked if I had ever done drywall work (Yes). It was then that I realized that I would be able to help in more ways than anticipated: helping someone in need, and teaching kids about working with your hands to build something with purpose, care, and love. After the baseball game, we returned to our bunkhouse, and had some pizza. The kids were exuberant and full of energy. It was pure madness, and a constant state of worry about these clumsy children running around with multiple tables and chairs ready to be collided with. I managed to fall asleep for a few hours, regardless of my anxiousness about what we might be able to accomplish in the coming days. 

We set out on Monday morning to finish building a fence. I learned about fence construction when I was in elementary school, when we had to replace a section of fence in our yard. I dug the holes by hand, helped mix the concrete and learned the difference between plumb and level. I learned how to hammer the fence planks in, because my father believed it was incredibly useful to be able to swing a hammer. In Houston, we were using screws to fasten the fence planks. In the interest of time and safety, this was the best option. The kids had an idea of how to use a drill, but there were still techniques that could be taught. I was excited to give a few pointers to someone and see a sense of accomplishment in their face after sinking the screw into the plank perfectly. The kids soon began to help each other, and pass the pointers on. Seeing that team effort meant a lot to me, and I realized that there was a desire on their part to not just go through the motions, but to actually excel at the task. My father always pushed me to follow through on any task I started. He would frequently ask me to do something that I was unsure I could accomplish. I would say I can’t do it. This upset my father more than anything I ever did growing up. He had unyielding belief in me long before I believed in myself. I know exactly where my patience comes from, especially in this case. I was doing exactly as my father had done for me, and I was getting a sense watching these kids of what he must have felt when I accomplished something. 

I continued to see this sense of accomplishment over the next few days, guiding the kids while hanging sheet rock, and teaching as I went along. I really believe that they learned a great deal over the course of the trip. I am thrilled that I had a chance to walk in the footsteps of my father, passing along knowledge, and the concept of putting your heart and soul into what you do for other people.

 

A few days after the trip, I had a conversation with my father. I told him I was amazed that these kids did not know how to work with their hands as well as I did when I was their age. He reminded me that I was interested in learning those skills and tried to do everything he was doing. It was clear that I had a special upbringing with my father, and was blessed with amazing love and support for everything that I ever attempted. He told me that he was proud of what I had done, giving up a week to help people in need and show some kids a few of the things that he taught me. I knew that my father was proud of me, and did not need that reminder. I think I was supposed to say yes to going to Houston, so that I could have that moment with my father. During an evening compline, Sarah Kates said she gets constant reminders of God at work. Her most recent example was that I agreed to go on the mission trip. I was supposed to be there to spread the gifts that he gave me. I was supposed to be there to help people in need, including Sarah. I think most importantly, I was sent there to have that final conversation with my father. I was open to help and willing to help. I had love in my heart and a desire to do something selflessly for other people. I learned it from my father, Stephen Wayne Frakes. 

Thomas Frakes

Thomas's father, Stephen Wayne Frakes, passed away shortly after Thomas returned from this mission trip.

Below: Thomas shows youth missionaries how to use power tools and hang drywall.

Our amazing youth group is continuing their tradition of selling beautiful, long-lasting holiday greenery, wreaths, poinsettias and garland. Make your Christmas decorating easy and support our youth mission trips and ministries.

Click here for the form - you may pay by check or online! Questions? Contact Sarah Kates at sarahk@saintdavids.net.