This note is the first to talk about “serving here”. In earlier discussions we talked about the cost and value of both “being here” and “worshipping here.” Yet, this Parish has a rich history of service to others.

“Serving here” includes those ministries that serve both our parishioners as well as others outside our church.

Current Cost

To provide the ministries and programs we do today will cost about $227,000 in 2007. All of this cost is the cost of people. These staff members both provide leadership and assistance to the volunteer ministry leaders as well as perform much of the work themselves.

Lay Ministry Director Stacy Lynskey led three task groups to study Global Missions, Family Service Alternatives, and approaches to Traditional Worship. She also supported the Choral Eucharist Study Group in its work. She also leads the pastoral care steering committee responsible for Lay Eucharistic ministry, the prayer team and other programs.

Communications Director David Kendrick publishes Leek Soup, and Life @ St. David's. He provides the content for both the old StDavidsAshburn.org web site and the new SDLIFE.org website. David also produces other printed, video, and audio releases.

Finally, Youth Ministry Director Jonathan Stube oversees a growing ministry that has been bringing our youth and adults together since his arrival in June.

Current Value

The value of “serving here” is manifested in many ways. In any one day the ten teams of the Prayer Tree are praying for 60-70 people for a wide variety of needs. Three to four times each month a Prayer Quilt is created for someone in a more acute medical condition. While many persons requesting prayer are parishioners, many are part of the community around us or the world.

Is there great value here? Ask the dozens of people who have written to thank us for our prayers and testify to the positive impact those prayers had. Read the Prayer Tree article in the August Leek Soup.

On a typical Sunday this Parish sends several Lay Eucharistic Ministers to give communion to those unable to worship with us. These visits help the person stay connected to God and stay connected to the covenant community. Is there great value here? Ask the persons receiving communion or their family. Bett er yet, serve as a LEM and feel the value of what you do.

The participation of many persons was necessary as the Parish struggled with how to become more welcoming to families with young children.

Is there great value here? Ask anyone watching two Sundays ago, as one child brought another to the altar, and those two brought two more, and those four brought four more, and so on until the whole church was gathered together saying, “Thank you for being my friend in Christ.”

We are a parish of 1,450 parishioners assembled into 577 families. Communications with a group this size is always a challenge. So we disseminate information in a wide variety of means and media so that we might reach more people with God’s word.

Is there great value here? Go to the April 2007 issue of Leek Soup on our website and read Carrie Velling’s article on Interfaith Relief.

So where does this leave us? We are blessed with a lovely campus and will care for it in our “being here.” And we will “worship here” as the first purpose of this or any church. And we are “serving here” to the extent possible within our current resources. We will look next week at the most immediate needs of further “serving here.”