It is such an incredible blessing when mission teams come to serve with us! People from all over the country get the unrivaled opportunity to visit this extraordinary corner of God’s creation and to be God’s ministers in so many different ways. It is such a joy to share our story and mission with these groups as we receive much needed support to accomplish projects that sometimes can’t be attended to as we engage in our daily work.
This summer we were oh-so-blessed by the service and visits of 3 mission teams. We are oh-so grateful our maintenance shed and gym were painted, and our prayer and chapel gardens were tended to. These were big projects that required a lot of time and energy. THANK YOU to 1st American Baptist Church in Salt Lake City, Utah (http://www.firstbaptist-slc.org/), 1st United Methodist Church in Vancouver, Washington (http://www.vanfumc.org/), and the West Virginia Volunteers in Mission (VIM) teams (http://wvumc.org/about/ministries/vim)!
The blessing of service is but one part of our teams’ visits. We also work to provide our guests a glimpse of our Spiritual Life Ministry as well. It is an honor, privilege and highlight of these visits to join together in daily devotions and to share the many different ways we worship at AK Child & Family. Together we engaged in drumming and ribbon prayers, service liturgies and circle prayers, sweatlodges, healing stories and communion. Our mission statement comes alive in these moments as all is done in the spirit of Christ’s love.
Our supporting denomination connections are an amazing gift in so many ways. It takes a lot of hearts and hands and resources to pave the paths of healing that happen here at AK Child & Family. When people share their time, talents and treasures with us, it is a godsend to our students, staff and our whole agency.
Romans 12:1-3 & 6-8* teaches us about offering ourselves in service to God. “…Take your life and place it before God as an offering….Readily recognize what God wants from you and quickly respond to it…. God brings the best out of you….if you help, don’t take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get bossy; if you work with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.”
*paraphrased from The Message translation
When we serve one another in the spirit of offering ourselves as holy and acceptable vessels of love, care, and compassion, we are working together in the spirit of Christ’s love. We give thanks for the many volunteers past, present and future who have served and will serve as God’s hands and feet here in this place.
