Serving Community in Need

Last Sabbath we were blessed and challenged by a message from Gil Clelland, the pastor of Sanctuary London, community of faith that offers friendship to the homeless. The message of Jesus, calling us “friends” is urgent today, in a world lacking relationships.

When we see people we serve as “clients” we put a distance between us.  When we see people in need as friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, it opens new possibilities of connecting.  The “one-another” principle of serving, so repeatedly stated in the New Testament, is about mutual giving and receiving.  Gospel leads to mutual relationships, where service is coming and going in both directions, to and from.  As believers who “got things together,”  “got things under control,” in our zeal to offer a service we often fall short of admitting that we ourselves need to be served, and we do not have all things together.  It is OK to receive a service.  Evangelism without relationships is not efficient, as it becomes only about teaching and making points.  How often do we get the point and miss the person?

Number of our church folks attended the training session at the Sanctuary London.  One principle that stands out is the process, not an event.  The ministry to people in need is not about making a splash with a one-time big event, and then disappearing, but about continuously, consistently being present and involved with people.

For those who would like to visit and see if this ministry is for you, following are the days and times open at 513 Talbot Street Church:

Monday – 11-2 pm lunch, followed by 2-3 pm Bible Study.

Wednesday – 3-7 pm supper;  7-9 pm art and writing class.

Sunday – 6 – 9 pm – worship, bible discussion, fellowship.

This is not about “switching church.”  You are a member of a particular church body, and you remain where you grow spiritually.  This is an opportunity to serve as a part of church universal, joining another community of faith in service that has already opened doors and built trust.

It is not about recruiting people to come to “our church” either.  It is about being the Body of Christ, God’s hands and feet, God’s face smiling and blessing people, incarnate in 2013 London, Ontario.

We cannot give what we do not have.  The Relationships is the greatest need today, both in churches and in the community we see as godless.  I believe serving in this way would improve our own relationships, teach us to appreciate bonds we already have, a stop taking for granted opportunities we have to know and be know in a Christian Community we call church.