Everyday Ministry
A good worthwhile life.
As I approach completing the two-year commitment I made to post pieces on this blog, I have asked myself whether I have said all I want to say. Are there subjects/issues important to me that I have left unsaid? My remaining posts, including this one, are chosen with that thought in mind.
We, who have grown up in cultures inculcated by Hebrew, Greek and Christian values, subscribe to the belief that the ministry of helping others is of uppermost importance. Despite that, it seems to me, I say this as an old man, that over the last forty/fifty or I don’t know how many years, we have lost sight of seeing helping others in our daily lives as being a ministry of uppermost importance. We have largely assigned that gift/privilege to our churches, synagogues, and organizations like United Way.
In doing so, we impoverish ourselves. Recently I read an essay written by Oliver Sacks published two weeks before Sacks died. The essay is included in a precious little book titled Gratitude. Sacks said—“And now, weak, short of breath, my once-firm muscles melted away by cancer, I find my thoughts, increasingly, not on the supernatural or spiritual but on what is meant by living a good worthwhile life—achieving a sense of peace within oneself.”
I could give you multiple examples of life-enriching ministry. I am going to limit myself to three examples close at hand.
Pat Bridwell visits shut-ins on Sundays. Together Pat and the person she visits go through the service, read scripture passages, pray prayers included in the church service and take Holy Communion. Pat shares with the person she visits notes Pat took of that day’s sermon.
Chica Younger brings shut-ins and friends who are suffering into her home for a beautiful meal (another form of Communion) and an uplifting visit. She also takes meals to them and visits in their places of abode.
Elizabeth Cauthorn cares deeply about her authors and their beautiful work. She invests herself in them, viewing what she does as ministry rather than business.
When we fail to include helping others in our daily lives, we deprive ourselves of the satisfaction that comes from serving others. And we miss out helping to make the world a better place.