Now there are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)
This Sunday, April 29 is Service Sunday. This is a special day during which we will take time to thank all of our generous volunteers at St. John’s — from those who help out with all our various Faith in Action programs, to those who participate in Godly Play and Rite 13 and Youth classes and activities, to those who volunteer on committees, or are in service groups that greet, usher, read, assume charge of altar guild duties, to those who perform myriad other important services. During and following the 10am service, we celebrate all that they do and bless their work for the year to come.
We are grateful for our volunteers’ countless hours, acts of kindness, and service. With them, it becomes possible to more effectively minister to one another and make a difference in the world. They are giving back to God from the spiritual gifts that God gives to each of us.
By the grace of God, we are all gifted people, Christians called to use the skills God has given us for the strengthening of our communities and the healing of the world. Discovering how best to use our gifts in the world can be the tricky part; we might feel overwhelmed, underprepared, or doubtful of what we can accomplish.
One way to help ourselves best use our gifts is through discernment—reflecting and praying, individually or in community, about what we are called to do and who we are called to be—of our vocation. Our bishop, Brian Prior, says the big question is “What does God want to do with me?”
He offers four approaches to help us answer that big question:
- What are you really passionate about? What do you love to do and never tire doing?
- What are you really good at doing? What feels effortless to you?
- What do you find yourself always doing? What do others always ask you to do?
- What do you believe in your heart of hearts? What do you truly value in yourself or others?
As Frederick Buechner says: Your vocation in life is where your greatest joy meets the world’s greatest need. The intersection of your joy and that need is the place where the Spirit is asking you to go. You can explore that intersection in the exercise below, which uses Bishop Prior’s questions to prompt discernment.
Adapted from the November-December 2017 Evangelist.
