“Confessions of the Pastor’s Wife: When Serving Makes Your Quads Scream In Protest”

Whatever you do, do it from the heart for the Lord and not for people.” Colossians 3:23

Recently, we held a service event at church cleverly called “Leave the Leaves to Us.” You can likely guess what it entailed–lots of raking and bagging of fall foliage. Unfortunately, this was an event that had to be rescheduled, due to unseasonably warm temperatures in early October and the stubborn persistence of the leaves to remain tethered to their trees. The later date for our project meant that the “us” participating consisted of 3 adults and 2 teenage boys (my own) who have a strong aversion to physical labor. The weather had finally turned cold as we plodded out into wet morning, and the winds were gusting.

For the next approximately 6 to 60 hours we went from yard to yard –raking, scooping, bagging, tossing over and over and over again. The wind blew, taunting us it seemed in our efforts, as leaves once piled gleefully twirled and pirouetted to freedom. This, I thought to myself, is why I hate yard work. Aside from mowing, which I love because it’s a workout in which I can see immediate results, I detest yard work. It always seems like a pointless endeavor. Pull weeds one day, they’ll reemerge the next. Pack up one leaf, another will fall. And it uses muscles that I generally prefer to leave in peace.

By the end of the event, my quads were screaming, my nose was stuffed up, I was covered in dirt, and I stunk. And herein lies the truth about serving–sometimes it stinks.

In churches we like to sell the Hallmark version of serving–soft lights, loving smiles, warm fuzzies and hot cocoa for everyone. Organizations know that if they’re going to ask for help, the helpers better get something in return, like a t-shirt that says “I’m a good person.” So, we sell the quid pro quo: Serving isn’t just about helping someone else–you get something, too! You get to pat yourself on the back and bask in the butterscotch-scented glow of doing a good deed. And eat free pizza.

The problem with this message is that it misses the point. Serving isn’t about us, it’s about loving God and helping others. It’s about someone else’s needs, not our own. When we serve, we are allowing ourselves to be the conduit by which others can experience the love of Christ–and sometimes that means raking and bagging leaves until our quads quit in protest. Sometimes it means giving up a Saturday lie-in to go stand in the cold and ring a bell while shoppers push past, or taking that ten dollars you had earmarked for a coffee and cinnamon roll and giving it to the guy on the street you’re trying really hard not to see. Serving might mean giving up prime vacation time to help clean up after a hurricane rather than lying on a beach, or volunteering to mentor a kid once a week when children make you more squeamish than spiders.

The disciples understood this true nature of serving, though they didn’t always like it either. Paul often writes of the suffering he endured in his quest to spread the gospel near and far. There were nights without shelter, days without food, muscles that were constantly sore, and physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion. Yet notice what Paul says to the Corinthians about working for God:

Paul doesn’t tell the Corinthians that serving others feels great. There’s an implicit acknowledgement here that it does not. But what he does say is that in whatever work God calls us to do, God will provide what we need to get the job done. God gives us the tools we need so that we can help others in his name–fulfilling their needs and showing them that God is real. He is here. And he cares.

So, there was a moment in leaf-bagging last weekend when God’s spirit descended and turned the task into a profoundly soul-stirring event for me? Not even a little. But even so, when it comes time to leaving the leaves to us next year, I’ll be one of the “us’s.” Because for the people we helped, it meant a lot. Our work was just another way to show the grace and love of God to our neighbors. And in the end, serving others isn’t about me at all.

Blessings and Peace, Sara

Mission

To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Vision

Nelson Memorial UMC seeks to be a place where all God’s broken, hurting, and imperfect children discover wholeness and community while experiencing the warm and welcoming love of Jesus Christ.  We seek to connect with one another to grow in our knowledge and love of God, to encourage each person to live out their unique calling to serve God, and to make a difference in the Boonville community and throughout the world.

Priorities

Developing and Nurturing Faith in Children and Youth

Fostering Growth and Community in Worship and Small Groups

Provide Opportunities to Serve God in Boonville and Beyond

Worship This Week

This Sunday we will conclude our 3-week message series titled “Investment Strategy: Investing in What Really Matters.”  In this series, we are discussing how we can use our precious resources to help us find meaning.  This week, we will discuss “Investing in the Kingdom.”  The scripture for this week is from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 6, verses 19-21:

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Our services will begin with the song Build A Boat by Colton Dixon.  Our other songs for the morning include Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee, How Great is Our God, and I Surrender All.  Our Choir will provide a prelude at the 10:20 service.

Virtual Worship Information

In addition to in-person worship, each Sunday we will live-stream our 10:20 worship service. The service can be viewed on our Facebook Page.  The service will start at approximately10:25 following our Gathering Song.  Additionally, we post a recording of our message each week to our website by early Sunday afternoon. 

Announcements

Deck the Halls – After the 10:20 worship service today we invite all to come help us deck the halls and hang the greens throughout the Sanctuary to bring out the Christmas joy.  Carry, haul, fluff and decorate till your heart’s content, lending a helping hand to beautify the church.  

2022 Angel Tree – Our Angels have arrived and they are hanging on our Christmas tree.  Be sure to write down your name and phone number next to your angel tree number on the clip board provided in the front pews.  We will need the children’s gifts back in the Sanctuary no later than Sunday, December 4th for the dedication of the gifts.  The Angel Tree party will be on Saturday, Dec. 10th at 11:00 a.m., beginning with a short message in the Sanctuary and lunch to follow in the Fellowship Hall.  Please make plans to join us in this very special ministry to our church.  As always, we are so grateful for the way in which our church family supports this Matthew 25 ministry to the children of incarcerated parents.

Community Thanksgiving Service – The Boonslick Ministerial Alliance invites you to our annual Community Thanksgiving Service.  The service will be held this coming Tuesday beginning at 6:00 pm at the First Christian Church.  Pastor Wayne Merrill, the pastor at the Wooldridge Baptist Church, will be bringing the Word and we will take up an offering to help Wooldridge Baptist Church as they recover from damages sustained to their building from the recent fire. 

Coats for Kids – We will again be providing coats for kids who need them in the Boonslick Area.  If you would like to contribute, make your check out to Nelson Memorial, UMC and in the memo line put “Coats for Kids” and place it in the offering plate or drop it by the church office.  Thank you!   Heather Beach.

Salvation Army Bell-Ringing – We are scheduled to “ring the bells” at Walmart on Saturday, December 10, 2020.  We will need volunteers for one hour time slots from 10 AM – 6 PM.  A sign-up sheet will be in the East wing narthex (where we serve refreshments after worship).  There are several spots available. The money gathered will be available to local residents in need.  Thank you.

Christmas Poinsettias – Those of you that would like to purchase a poinsettia in memory of or in honor of a loved one, please pick up one of the forms located on the table back in the refreshment area. The list will be in the December 18th bulletin.  Please deliver the form to the church by Monday, December 12^th or drop it in the offering box on Sunday.  Please make checks payable to Nelson Memorial, UMC, in the amount of $14.00, and in the memo line write poinsettia.  Thank you!

Giving Through Venmo – We can be found on Venmo at @NelsonMemorialUMC.  If you don’t know what Venmo is and would like to learn more, information about giving through Venmo can be found on our webpage at https://nelsonmemorialumc.org/give/venmo/. 

Want to help NMUMC spread some holiday cheer this season? The Outreach Team has several opportunities for you to share God’s love with our neighbors. Here are three ways you can help in the next couple of weeks:

1. Christmas Parade: The annual Boonville Christmas Parade will be Saturday, December 3 at 2 PM. NMUMC will have a float for those who wish to ride. AND we will be handing out packets of hot chocolate with our Christmas Eve worship times attached. If you’d like to pass out packets of hot chocolate, please let Sara Snyder know.
2. Turkey Donations: We are partnering with Community in Schools (CIS) to provide Christmas dinners to a few families of students at LSE and BHS. Specifically, we are collecting funds to purchase 10 turkeys. If you’d like to contribute, please place money in the offering plate and designate it “turkeys.”
3. Christmas Cheer Stockings: On December 11, we will be delivering some Christmas cheer stockings to members of our congregation who are homebound or in nursing homes. We’re looking for the following stocking stuffers:
   • Homemade cookies—dropped off at church by December 10
   • Fuzzy socks
   • Hand lotion (small tube)
   • Lip balm
   • Puzzle booklets (crossword, word search)

Stockings will be put together December 10 at 1 P.M. following Angel Tree. Volunteers are welcome!

Adopt-a-Family: There WILL also be opportunities to adopt families through CIS. Please check back next week for more details.

Events this week:

Sunday, November 20: Decorating for Advent, following worship, Sanctuary

Youth Group, 11:30 am, Fellowship Hall

Monday, November 21: TOPS, 9:30 am, Lounge

Al-Anon, 8:00 pm, Fellowship Hall

Tuesday, November 22: Boonslick Ministerial Alliance Community Thanksgiving Service, 6:00 pm, First Christian Church

Wednesday, November 23: Al-Anon, Noon, Fellowship Hall

Thursday, November 24: Happy Thanksgiving! Office Closed

Friday, November 25: Office Closed for Thanksgiving Break

Saturday, November 26: Methodist Men, 8:30 am, Lounge

Closing Words of Wisdom:

It is within my power either to serve God or not to serve Him. Serving Him, I add to my own good and the good of the whole world. Not serving Him, I forfeit my own good and deprive the world of that good, which was in my power to create.” – Leo Tolstoy