In Service to Others

Today is the third week of pledging season.  This is the time of year when we pray and seek to answer the needs of our church and how we will support the ministry of Rotterdam UMC.  During these weeks our sermons have focused on the promise we made to the UMC when we became a member.  I understand that many of you are not actual members but have chosen to regularly worship with us and be a part of our ministry.  I hope that when I speak about the promises made, even if you haven’t actually spoken them, you can see how you too can support this church and all we do.

The first week we were reminded that we promised to support the church with our prayers.  I hope you are all praying through the insert.  Each person named and activity listed can use our prayer support.

Last week we remembered our promise to support the church with our presence.  As we remembered those who have gone on to their eternal home we recalled how their presence in our lives made such an impact.  If their presence made a difference for us, how can our presence make a difference to someone else?

Today we are reflecting on the promise we made to support the church with our service.

What does it mean to serve?

Dictionary definition:  perform duties or services for (another person or an organization).

To serve someone can have a different meaning in different cultures.  It often does not have a positive feel to it.  Indentured servants and slaves were forced to serve.  Waiters and waitresses serve patrons for the sake of financial need.    These ways of serving give a bit of negative feeling to the idea of being in service to others.

On the other hand, this week we are going to be celebrating and honoring those who have, or are, serving our country in the military service.  These men and women serve by volunteering to protect our country and the freedoms we have.  Some Veterans have given many years to this service.  Some have fought wars and battles in other lands and come home changed forever, whether physically or emotionally.  Serving in this way is seen as a noble act and we give thanks for these veterans.

Throughout Jesus’ ministry he taught his disciples and followers to be more about serving others.  The disciples didn’t always get this idea and once when they were arguing about who would be first among them, Jesus sat down with them and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Mark 9:35

Because we too often have the negative image of serving in mind we become leery of serving but Jesus didn’t call us to be slaves but to serve out of love.  We have to choose to willingly serve others.

*Galatians 6:10  tells us, “So then, while we [as individual believers] have the opportunity, let us do good of all people [not only being helpful, but also doing that which promotes their spiritual well-being], and especially [be a blessing] for those of the household of faith [born-again believers].”

When I looked at the Galatians text in the AMP Bible I thought it was a nice summation of supporting through service.  Actually it also reminds me of John Wesley’s quote

“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”

So how can we serve each other and our community?

Rotterdam already has a long list of ways we serve others:

• SICM (Schenectady Inner City Ministry) collection every second and fourth Sunday
• Help serve dinners at City Mission
• Ham Dinner in the Spring
• Turkey Dinner in the Fall
• Christmas Shoe Boxes
• Angel Tree: Adopt a Family at Christmas
• Mitten Tree
• Summer Lunches in the Park
• Blessing of the Animals
• Trunk or Treat
• Vacation Bible School

A few weeks ago about 18 of us stayed after worship and did a short Spiritual Gifts inventory and hopefully learned a little more about who God has made us to be and what our gifts are.  Now the inventory is really only the beginning.  Once we have a clue as to what our gifts are, how are we going to use them?

This is where today’s message comes in….

How can you serve the church and/or each other by using your gifts and talents?

• Knowledge – are you teaching Sunday School or Bible School?
• Wisdom – are you leading a committee or mentoring someone?
• Faith – are you praying for others every day?
• Compassion – are you visiting the sick or shut-in?
• Giving – Are you generous with your pledge and when there is a need?
• Helps – Do you work at Brooks or other fund raisers?

As Christians, Jesus called us to be servants of all.   As United Methodists we promised to support our church with our service.   I hope that you will consider carefully just how you can fulfill Jesus call and your promise and find ways to serve others in and through our church’s ministry.

Matthew 25:45

Jesus said…‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’

 

*NOTE* About the AMP Bible Translation:  It takes both word meaning and context into account to accurately translate the original text. The AMP does this through the use of explanatory alternate readings and amplifications to assist the reader in understanding what Scripture really says.