Some of the ministries people do in the Church are front page news. They are easy to see and understand. My job as a preacher qualifies as one of those highly visible ways to serve God. Worship leaders are in front of everyone each week. Teachers are easy to spot. All of these ministries are vital to the Church to have an impact on their community.
There are other ministries you might not have thought about that bless our Church as it meets together each week.
1. Cleaning Ministry. I cannot say enough about this group of people. We have a group of volunteers who clean the building so that it is ready for the next week. They take care of the trash, clean toilets, vacuum, mop, and do a hundred other things that make our Church presentable each week. It is easy to take this group for granted until the week it doesn’t get done, then everyone notices their importance.
2. Lawn Care Ministry. We have another group of people who come and spend a few hours each week riding the mower and making everything look nice. It is another ministry that most people do not think about until it isn’t finished.
3. Landscaping Ministry. We have a wonderful group of people who are working to beautify the exterior spaces of the Church facility. Flowers are far more attractive than weeds.
4. Maintenance Ministry. We have a group of people, a couple of people in particular, who make sure anything that gets broken is fixed. This could be anything from a doorknob to the sound system. Broken items do not stay that way for long.
5. Decorating Ministry. With each new season, the decorations inside change to make our building more attractive. Christmas and Easter require special preparation and extra time spent. These decorations are not only set up, but they are taken down and stored for the next year.
6. Welcome Ministry. Our Church has “welcome bags” that are prepared in the lobby for any guest to take home as a gift. These need items purchased, prepped and then put together. Also, when someone fills out a connection card after a first or second visit, they receive a personal card from a person writing them a welcome note.
7. Sound & Screen Ministry. Each week the songs are put into a program called ProPresenter and made ready for our worship time. I prepare the sermon outline then the scriptures are placed in the program to make Sunday go smoothly in every area of worship.
This is just a partial list. There are people who volunteer their time to work with children and prep their area. We have people who make snacks for fellowship. Communion needs to be prepared. There are literally dozens of people who give their time to make everything go well on Sunday.
I am always glad when people like the sermons I preach, but those are just a small part of what makes our Sundays a success for God. It is unnamed volunteers that help move the kingdom forward. I am thankful for every person who gives their time to the Lord through our Church.