In Giving I Received

Christ’s Church has been my church home since the early 1990’s and I felt God’s presence here from the beginning. I sang in the choir in the early years and helped briefly with a children’s Sunday school class. I’d contributed to the building campaigns, attended Bible studies and Wednesday night classes and volunteered to help with the college lunches by bringing a dessert from time to time. These were all good things and helpful, and beneficial to me as well, but I was beginning to feel like I was only flirting with connection and taking more than I was giving.
Signing up for things requires a commitment and that’s not always easy to do. It isn’t for me, anyway, for whatever reason. I also think I need to be good at “whatever” before I even take the beginner’s class! But I felt drawn to attend a Next Step Coffee on June 5, 2016. I thought there might be something I could do to help “behind the scenes” and not feel too awkward, but I was still hesitant about the commitment piece.
I met with some of the staff the following Thursday and cautiously agreed to help with communion preparation. It was, after all, “behind the scenes” and done on a 2-month rotation. I could surely commit to 2-month intervals. But what I discovered within those first two months was a real sense of belonging, contributing, being useful, connecting.
I never did 2-month intervals. I help every Sunday.
What began as a group of fellow workers has become a group of friends. I’m now in a LifeGroup with one of these women and have added even more friendships. I used to see a few faces I knew in the Sunday morning crowds and now I see many. Driving home from church one Sunday morning I realized that if I desired connection it would come most deeply through serving. In giving I had received more than I anticipated, both tangible and intangible. It has been a blessing that continues to surprise and delight me in other areas of my life, and I am grateful for the Spirit’s prodding.