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Pastors' Message
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
1 Peter 2:9 NRSVUE
Puzzles are such a beautiful thing. There is typically a box with the picture on top for the vision and many pieces inside that get put together. If one piece is missing, then, the puzzle cannot be completed to its full capacity and beauty. Each of us have a piece of the puzzle as Christ followers within the body of Christ. In fact, at Baker Memorial, each new member receives a puzzle piece. Others of us carry our puzzle piece in our name tag. This puzzle piece is a reminder that each and every one of us carry a piece of the puzzle in doing ministry together to serve Christ here, near and far away.
In the church, we sometimes refer to this all-people-in-ministry concept as the ministry of the laity or the ministry of the people. The ministry of the laity is integral to the outpouring of Christ’s love in the world because each person brings importance and significance to fulling the ministry in and through the church. Each person has been given gifts, time, and talents. This is what makes the body of Christ so beautiful, not just one person, or the just pastors, or the staff.
We have a responsibility as Christ followers to commit to using our gifts, time, and talents. We each have ministry to fulfill as we are called to be in ministry together. As we do, we proclaim and give glory to God. This beauty of all-people-in-ministry allows for God to be even more visible in our church, the community, and the world. In addition, using our differing gifts such as teaching, leading, compassion, clerical, prophesy, shepherding, etc, allows for us and others to grow in faith.
All of us together have a task of outpouring Christ’s love to make God visible in the world by serving Christ. As we begin a new year, you may ask yourself the following questions:
- What is my piece to the puzzle?
- What gifts have I been given to make God visible and known to the world around me?
- What gifts have I not been using and why? (Time, commitment, fear)
- What ministries can I help fulfill at church, the community and the world that are in need? (Teacher for Children, Youth, Adult; usher; greeter; gardening helper; musical; cooking; mission opportunities; admin; leadership; the list is endless…).
If you have questions about how your gifts or your piece of the puzzle fits, we would love to get together with you and help you discern. Check out a few opportunities at bakermemorialchurch.org/volunteer.
Blessings,
Pastor Kim and Pastor Mary
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