ECC Ministry Update – Devoted to Caring

Teachers offering to help students and parents with schoolwork while schools are closed.

Individuals offering to go to the store and purchase groceries for a Sr. adult who can’t go out.

Stay at home mom’s offering to provide childcare to families while students are out of school.

A mom and her boys offering to pick up and deliver free meals given out by the Preble County Success Program.

A family offering their internet password to their neighbors to help students complete their online studies.

Countless individuals giving donations to the community organizations helping those off work and school.

Individuals picking up the phone and checking on friends, family, and neighbors to offer any help they might need.

These are just a few of the examples of people at ECC who are serving others in this time with hands devoted to caring. It is our collective value of generous living being demonstrated in relevant and practical ways an in the days ahead there will be more opportunities, with more people, to extend our hands to care for others. In this opportunity it’s important to ask, “How do we best care for others?”

In the Old Testament there’s a boy named Samuel who’s words to God can be a guide for us in these days.  1 Samuel 3:8-10 says,

8 A third time the LORD called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

That’s it! That’s where serving begins. It begins by the practice of stopping before God. When we STOP, our call to God is one of seeking and listening. Serving begins with a heart turned toward God in expectation of hearing from Him. When we do this, we serve others best because:

• We understand God knows best for us and others and we seek him first.
• We humbly understand our role as servants, to selflessly care for others.
• We depend on God to lead us through his spirit and not just our preference.

As we move forward in the days ahead, I challenge each of us to STOP before God and offer these words to Him. He will give us great opportunity, even a a time of social distancing, to Share Life, and Share Christ with others as the body of Christ in eternal, life-changing ways.

Here are a few things to help one another during this time:

• Wellness Checks – We are encouraging everyone to touch base with your circles of family, church family, and friends and see how they are doing. I encourage us to do this by phone as it gives a much-needed personal touch in this time. It is a great way to offer to pray for someone or offer to help with any needs. (Please be especially intentional with Sr. Adults, families with young children, or those who have compromised health conditions)
• Do you know of a need?
  • There are many great organizations in our community that are providing assistance during this time. We want to help point people in the right direction or provide help in some other way.
  • Please contact the church office by phone or email if you are aware of someone in the church that has a need.
• Can you help?
  • The best way to help is for all of us to check-in with others and ask if there are needs. But in the cases where we have some other specific needs to be met, we would like to see who could help.
    • Some ways to help:
      • Pickup groceries for someone.
      • Wellness check phone call.
      • Childcare for working parents.
      • Financial assistance for those off work.
      • Or anything else.
    • Please contact the church office by phone or email if you are able to help meet a need that may arise.

I pray that God will help you devote your hands to caring in the days ahead. While we don’t know what each day might bring, we do know that God holds each day in His hand. God will provide, God will sustain, and God will care for those who trust in Him! Let’s invite Him to speak and then listen as His servants.

Take care of yourself and take care of one another!

Pastor Dan