Tuesday, August 23, 2022

In Praise of the Ministry Fair

This Sunday, my South Florida church will hold a ministry fair.  I wrote the following for the electronic newsletter, and I think it's worth preserving here.

This Sunday, during fellowship time after church, Trinity members are invited to come to a ministry fair.  In times past, different ministries have had a table and people to talk to about ministry opportunities at Trinity Lutheran Church and beyond. Some of these ministries revolve around justice: changing systems so that people have more access to resources and so that people in trouble/need are treated more fairly. Some of these ministries revolve around charity, like Trinity's successful food pantry; we pray for the day that a food pantry is a failure because nobody has that need, but that day has not broken through yet. There are ministries that offer people a creative outlet for their spiritual yearnings, like the choir. There are other types of ministries that a church might offer, ministries that revolve around fellowship.

Sunday is the day to find out what's happening at church beyond worship services. Sunday is the day to discern ways to deepen our faith, ways that can bolster what is underway in worship.

You might go to the ministry fair and wish that we had a different kind of ministry. Luckily, Trinity is an open congregation. We're small, so we don't have a staff to create every kind of ministry that might be helpful. But this congregation has a rich history of lay leadership, and members are open to ministries completely led by non-clergy. If you have an idea, talk to Pastor Keith about how you can lead a ministry team or offer ministry opportunities.

Ministries don't have to last forever. In fact, having a ministry with an end date can be a blessing. I'm thinking of the special projects we've had for Advent or Lent, practices that enriched an already special time.

So come to the ministry fair to see what might be possible. Come and see how the ministries of Trinity can make your faith stronger--and in doing so, how the ministries of Trinity can make our community stronger.

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