Sunday night’s Quarterly Meeting was a slice of church life that I really love. We gathered for fellowship and ice cream, first of all, and huzzah for homemade cherry ice cream and homemade watermelon lime sorbet. It was my dinner, and I have no regrets.
The business of the meeting was a no-frills kind of agenda. There weren’t ground-breaking announcements for the church or lively discussions about our future. This team said this, and that team updated that. It may have been sort of vanilla, but sitting in the chair I occupy each week, I have a unique perspective that I wanted to share.
The “work of the people” is a phrase that has been used around DaySpring since Joel and I started attending, literally a lifetime ago (Ella’s). I’ve always loved the phrase and the idea, and I really believe it has some deeply spiritual, ecclesiological meaning to it. But I don’t know that I really could articulate it until after Sunday’s meeting. The unique perspective I see from my position as office manager is all of that work from behind the newsletter announcements and business meeting reports.
All the Accounting stuff—-Grady tending to bank stuff and checking over the budget report to understand the numbers. Charles, Jim, Lisa, Steve, and Grady sign checks to get the bills paid. Katy and the counting team always make sure the deposit is correct from the offering every Sunday and quite literally take that to the bank.
All the Naomi House stuff—Dennis and Elijah, Bailey, Grant & Rachel, and all the Naomi House team making decisions about what will make the most impact on our future residents. Taking trips to the border, organizing workdays, and planning for future needs. Mark and those taking the Spanish language classes will create a welcoming dialogue for them.
All the Youth Minister stuff—not only the team who is currently reviewing resumes, but also Kingsley and her team of volunteers who planned an entire camp for our youth based on their needs.
All the Building Team stuff—Becky, Les, and the team working out details with the architect; Jennifer, Elise, and the team seeking out the best ways to get a fundraising campaign to be successful. All the dreams and plans that occupy imaginations.
All the Undergraduate Ministry stuff—Tiffani has had talks with undergraduates and what they need, dreaming alongside the other churches involved to see that needs are met, and talks with Baylor and DaySpringers about how this could be successful.
And that is just the stuff of the meeting! Not to mention greeters who offer a smile and a warm welcome, mowers & landscapers who beautify our outdoor space, cleaners who wipe down sinks and countertops and mop floors and vacuum, worship care workers who hold our littlest DaySpringers, teachers, leaders, hosts… It takes a church to be the church.
Chart season is coming soon, and we’ll all get our chance to enlist our gifts and passions to further the church along. Covenant Day is coming soon, too, where we choose to commit to being church again together. These opportunities are where we get to put our stake in the ground and proclaim each other as our people to journey together, fellow pilgrims on the road.
You’re my people, and I’m so grateful.