The Real Ministers

In the ministry, pastors get a lot of credit for how the church takes care of each other, visitors and missionaries. I know because Bruce and I get credit for tons of things that others do in the name of servanthood and Jesus.

Over the last week there's been a lot of that going on so I just want to take some time to set the record straight...give credit where credit is due...and give thanks.

We've been in the throws of Missions Conference and in a church our size, there's no way that two people could do everything. Months and months ago, planning started for this week. Prayerfully considering participants and planning for stellar missionaries to join us. Our new Missions and Communications Minister, Mitchell, started preparing then...months ago. And he started developing ways to get many people involved. His wife, Wendy, don't let her fool you...she's a genius who works behind the screen...yes, screen...the computer. They are an extraordinary team.

Then we had ----

A Dr. who saw and gifted two of our missionaries with examinations and medicines
A family of 4 and a family of 2 who served the get to know you meal
Staff ladies who prepared salads and some incredible desserts
A lady who set up a tab at her hairdresser's and gave the missionary wives a color, cut or whatever they wanted!
2 Men who took time off from their paying jobs to prepare ethnic meals for our missionaries and staff...yummo!
3 ladies who diced and sliced and grilled and trimmed and served the Tuesday meal
A group of senior citizens who outdid themselves with mini s'mores muffins and homemade potato salad and other goodies.
3 more ladies who fried spring rolls, served and cleaned up Thursday's lunch meal
4 amazing host families....2 of which had the missionaries in their home for 7-8 nights!
4 amazing church families that invited our missionaries to dinner Friday Night.
4 amazing officers who treated those missionaries to lunch in the sleet and ice on Sunday!
9 ladies who made restaurant quality delicious desserts for meals
3 ladies who worked the nursery during the daytime sessions so that 50 people could attend the Bible Appreciation Class taught by one of our missionaries
Visitors who hosted us to a night of food, fellowship and great music and who warmed our hearts with their own passion for distributing God's Word. Their own parents and friends helped them!
Staff who set up, tore down, cleaned up, picked up, cheered up, helped out
The CPA who gave some advice to one of our families
The two ladies who dropped off food...just because
Kids who friended the three missionary kids
People who gave monetarily so that we could give generously to the missionaries
Car Tune-ups and Van Overhauls done by mechanics
Youth who brought visitors
People who asked thoughtful questions during Q and A
Youth that helped watch little ones for meetings
Prayer Warriors who for months prayed for this meeting

And I know I have left someone out....because it truly does take an entire church...every member ministering in the way God has called them to. So, thank you CBC family. Thank you for praying and working and ministering ...for being the church to these missionaries. Thank you for working even if I missed it...because God didn't miss it. He saw everything, heard every prayer.

Because it's not the pastor or even the staff that ever does ALL the work. There are faithful ministers, helping, serving, emptying trash cans and filling Styrofoam tea cups and grilling hot dogs, and praying and paying for haircuts and repairing vans....behind every good pastor. That's what CHURCH is all about.