These four words form the heart of our vision statement—the heart of what we have discerned as our call as a congregation and the foundations on which our Covenant with God has been written. Over the next several months, I will continue to offer on these pages reflections on these four words—how I see them lived out in the midst of our congregation and where our growing edges are.

I have in the past four issues of The Bridge addressed welcome and nurture. With this edition, I want to delve into serve and specifically what it means for us to serve with compassion.

Together with welcome, serve (and its relations) is one of those words we use a lot in our everyday conversation—maybe nurture and proclaim, but I’m thinking not so much. There is self-serve, serve your plate, soft serve ice cream, same day service, service with a smile, can we get some service here? The concept in these situations we are familiar with—serve is that which we either do for ourselves or is something offered to us.

In the context of our life together as a community of faith, serve is something we are called to do for others. Serve is one of the ways we live what we believe. Serve is a tangible expression of our faith. Within the life of the church, we serve through the “clothing bank”, “meals on wheels”, “food for salvation army”. These opportunities for service are provided for us by the Church in the World Ministry team. Each one makes real what it means to be created in the image of God and called to care for the children of God. Whatever the length or frequency, these times of service create relationships; they remind us of our connectedness with all of God’s people.

These opportunities may be the first ones that spring to our minds when we think of serve. And I invite us to also think of other ways we respond to this challenge from God. When you come into the sanctuary on Sunday morning, a young person or an adult offers you a welcome and a bulletin. During worship, there are people sitting in the back controlling the sound. As you make your way from the sanctuary into the Handy Chapel, people have set the table with cookies, juice, and coffee. During the week, checks are written and signed. Bids are secured for work on the building. An advertising database is completed. Boxes are procured for the “alleluias.” Hardware cloth crosses are constructed. Music is sorted and filed. Ministers coming into the presbytery are welcomed. Church newsletters are assembled. Easter breakfast is offered. Birthday cards are sent. Elders serve on session. Copies are made for church school classes. These may not seem like typical ways to serve. And as we become aware of the many ways people give of themselves, our definition is expanded.

The ways we involve ourselves in the life of the church’s ministry can, at times, speak more loudly than any words we use. And the way we involve ourselves in the life of the church’s ministry is also important. Our vision statement says to serve with compassion. With compassion—not because “if I don’t do it, it won’t get done.”; not because “I think it is what is expected of me. ”; not begrudgingly or out of duty or obligation but with compassion, with heart-felt desire to share your gifts and enter into relationship with others.

Our covenant says (in part):

Arlington Presbyterian Church trusts in God’s faithfulness to continually form us into:

A Serving Community

As a community of faith and as individuals engaged in spiritual growth, we share all our gifts and embody God’s love in faithful service to others.

We will work towards this by:

· Encouraging all people to discover, develop, and share their God-given gifts, allowing those gifts to shape our ministry and ensuring that everyone has a sense of clarity about their own and the rest of the congregation’s gifts.

· Determining what God wants us to do with our gifts from God (the Gospel of Jesus Christ, our time together, creation, time, talents, money, and real estate), and making decisions based on prayerful discernment.

· Living lives of servanthood that seek to follow Jesus’ example of serving all people.

The focus of our service first requires that we discover and develop the gifts God gives us. Those gifts given with compassion then shape the ways we engage in ministry. We are called to live lives of service following the example of Jesus who served all people.

I am thankful for the many ways we serve with compassion. And I look forward to our discovering the many ways God has in store for us.

Next time: The voice of proclamation

Blessings,

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