Week of June 24, 2002
Pastor Dick H.

"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good."
     I Corinthians 12:4-7

Nearly 50 years ago, when I was preparing to graduate from high school, a significant statement was made about God's people ministering in God's world. Assembled in Evanston, the World council of Churches said:

"The time has come to make the ministry of the laity explicit, visible, and active in the world. The real battles of the faith today are being fought in factories, shops, offices, and farms, in political parties and government agencies, in countless homes, in the press, radio and television, in the relationship of nations. Very often it is said that the church should "go into these sphere"; but the fact is that the church is already in these spheres in the persons of its laity."

This statement of a day when Bill Haley and the Comets were "rocking around the clock" may appear to be old hat -- outdated, irrelevant, and inconsequential. But, I'd argue that the call to "go...serve the Lord" in our daily lives is as fresh as Sunday's liturgical sending, as new as Monda's morning paper, and as important as the Scriptural mandate to use our God-given gifts in serving others (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Peter 4:10-11; and, Ephesians 4:7, 11-12).

Where we are -- in the home, at the office, on the farm -- in a sales meeting, a hospital room, a classroom, a bank, a store -- there the church is and there, too, God is. The Lord is with us not only on Sunday morning in the church; he abides with us throughout the week -- in workplace and marketplace, neighborhood and nation. And, as we serve others as public servants and private citizens, do our parenting and grand-parenting, live out the love of Jesus in caring for the elderly, poor, destitute, and alienated, teach, fight fires, audit, operate, plow the fields, drive, and manage business, we minister "for the common good."

Almighty God, you bless each of us with gifts of the Spirit, and you call us to use these unique and varied manifestations of the Spirit for the common Good. Enable us to employ ourselves, talents, skills, and abilities to serve you and others in the arenas of family, occupation, community, nation, and global networks. Empower us to be ministers of your love in daily life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Contributed by Pastor Richard
Published Monday June 24, 2002
Week 30 of Liturgical Year A