SERVE at SERVICES

Miss Rosenberg prepares snacks and drinks. Mr. Flesher prepares and gives a sermonette. Mr. Peterson is in charge of the audio equipment and keeping everything running smoothly. Yet, what do you do?

All of us, at some point, must learn how to help out and pitch in. Even something as simple as helping at services must be learned. As with anything else, you cannot understand before you learn, and you cannot do until you know how.

The first step to helping is to find a task. If you sit around idly, eventually someone will ask you to do something; but if this has not happened yet, or does not happen much, this is an opportunity! Now you can show your willingness and desire to serve, and your appreciation for others’ service, by offering your own. Ask someone who is often busy at services if there is anything you can do to help.

If you know of something that is difficult for others, or something that you are good at, you can offer to take the particular burden off of them. For example, does your host enjoy greeting and welcoming the brethren as they enter, but often runs back and forth between the door and setting up the chairs for services? You can offer to set up the chairs for him—maybe even arrive a little early, and leave ample time to fellowship as well.

The same approach can be applied to many other situations. Could you help the host put things away? Clean up? Run the sound equipment? Are you able to help prepare meals? Bring drinks? Set up the tables?

Do not forget that not only can you serve the host, but you can directly serve the brethren as well. If you see your brethren engaged in a good conversation, but still holding on to used dishes, here is another opportunity. Offer to take care of their dishes for them; and if the host does not mind, you might even wash them.

If it is a rainy day, consider bringing an umbrella and offering shelter to anyone who might have forgotten one. If you see someone carrying many things, or just something very heavy, offer to help. Or you can tend the door for those who are coming from long trips with heavy belongings.

Finally, use your service as an opportunity to become an integral part of your congregation, and really get to know people. Take the time to help others individually with different obstacles they face. If you know a parent (often a mother) who is unable to fellowship because she is always watching her children, offer to periodically watch them to give her a chance to join others more directly in conversation. If you know of anyone who lives near you or who cannot drive, often taking the bus or walking, consider driving him to services. For some, getting to services every week is quite difficult, and you can really ease their burden.

With all of these things, always follow through. Remember, “Your word is your bond.” Whenever you say you are going to do something—do it! Obviously, there are unexpected exceptions; but realize that if someone is expecting you to help him and you fail to do so, you are hurting him. You might actually make things more difficult for him than had you simply left him to take care of things on his own. By the time he realizes you have failed to perform what you offered, it may be too late.

As you serve, realize you are practicing being a good servant, and directly preparing to serve Christ now, and later in the kingdom of God. If you continue to grow as a servant of Christ, you will one day hear Him say to you, “Well done, you good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21).