Our church has been without a full-time pastor for just short of a year now. Nevertheless, we have had excellent preaching all along. Our Session is working diligently as well as a Pastor Search Team for a replacement but all of this is in God’s timing, not ours.
In the meantime our meager staff has been putting forth gigantic efforts every week to handle everything from pulpit supply to funerals. We have one full-time staff member whose resume could not be duplicated. His title is Director of Music and Family Ministries but that doesn’t tell even a tiny bit of what he does for our church.
Kim is an extremely gifted musician. He has a great ear for music and has assembled quite the most magnificent group of talented musicians to work with him on Sunday mornings. He chooses music that complements the sermon topic and mixes more recent songs with those familiar ones of the past in a beautiful tribute of praise to our God.
Kim’s father was a plumber by trade and so naturally Kim learned and worked in the business while he was in school. He has probably seen the inside of every church member’s home via plumbing assistance or emergency. No, he does not still work as a plumber on the side but all of us in a panic will call on his skills. And, of course, he does all the plumbing emergencies at the church.
In addition to those titles, Kim is also our Youth Director. Yes, indeed, somehow he manages to gather enough strength during his meager restful moments to plan youth excursions, canoe trips, Bible studies, etc., and then direct and attend all of them.
During our time without a pastor Kim has jumped into those shoes as our visitation pastor, prayer warrior notification man, and generally handles anything that a pastor would in the church.
While Kim is busy, his wife Gretchen is manning the home front with two of their four children still living at home while she works a part-time job – as if motherhood, Kim, and two teenagers were not enough to keep her busy.
I find I must keep these two in constant prayer because I am aware that they might weary in doing good. I ask God to give them extra hours in the day, to provide them with excellent sleep and also for wisdom in sharing their time and talents. What a dynamic couple to have at our church in this in-between time. How very wonderful that God placed them with us for such a time as this.
And, least I fail to mention the other staff that is holding down the fort with Kim, our Church Secretary, Organist, and Choir Director Renee is our other go-to amazing person. Despite the fact that she is working part-time and has no physical boss at the moment (of course she always answers to God), she keeps the bulletins coming.
Not only the bulletins we receive in church but she also compiles a prayer list every week with names and requests for those who need our prayers. She also prepares a monthly newsletter that is mailed to every member and friend of the church.
Sweetly, because I can no longer understand words sung by the choir, she prints the lyrics of the choir’s anthem on the back of the Prayer List so that I (and others) can enjoy the beauty of the music she and the choir so diligently prepare. The beautiful flowers that greet us at the entrance to the church are her undertaking as well.
I can’t tell you how much I appreciate these two soldiers of Christ working in this extraordinary environment and taking on extra duties that no one but God will ever know about. What a blessing to our church.
We also have a school that uses our church three days a week. Just imagine throwing that into the mix and you might possibly grasp what these two saints are accomplishing in a normal workweek.
Jack, our part-time custodian, prepares our rather large church building which includes Sunday School Rooms and a Fellowship Hall, every week for Sunday services. No small task indeed.
When I sit down at night from a long day of household tasks and think I am weary, I consider these cherished workers and realize I don’t truly know what weary is.
I imagine the thank yous that this trio receive are probably not compelling enough to energize them for another day so it can be nothing but God Himself that keeps them going.
You can join me in praying for all of our many church workers who every day go above and beyond and do their work as if it were for Jesus – because it is.
ED. NOTE: Amy Patsch writes from Ocean City. Email her at writerGoodGod@gmail.com.
