We had a Circuit Service at the beginning of Advent, I had the privilege of being able to sit in the congregation and be led by others. It was a wonderful experience and as we drove home, Karen and I were thrilled with all that we had just experienced. Why did it work so well? Of course, you would expect me to say that God’s hand was upon everything that had happened, but there was far more to it than that. As we discussed the service in the car travelling home, I began to understand that a whole group of people had given of their best and our collective offering, whether it was forming part of the congregation, providing refreshments, making the tech work, playing the organ or piano, singing in a choir or leading from the front, the success was brought about because a group of people offered their best to God and achieved something worthwhile.
Many years ago, I worked for a man who was of Scottish decent. He was one of those people who loved his little sayings and would meet with his subordinates on a regular basis and try to motive us. I remember him saying on more than one occasion “Team! Together Everyone Achieves More” he would get us to shout his little saying as enthusiastically and as loudly as we could. The idea was that these little sessions would be inspirational, sadly I can’t print here the response of most of my colleagues, and I confess to being less than impressed by these meetings myself. I can’t believe that I am saying this, but that man was right, together, we really do achieve more.
Over many years I have watched people burn out because they have tried to do everything themselves. I worked for about fifteen years as a member of a support group for ministers who were at the beginning of their journey towards ordination and the biggest problem that most of them faced was that they were trying to do too much. The service at the beginning of Advent reminded me that the whole thing works far more effectively if we all bring our gifts to God and let him do his work with them.
Across the Methodist Church at the beginning of a New Year people gather for a special service to renew the Covenant between God and his people and when we do, we come offering all that we have to him to use in the way he sees fit in the work of his Kingdom.
The traditional words of the covenant prayer read: –
I am no longer my own but yours.
Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will; put me to doing, put me to suffering;
let me be employed for you or laid aside for you,
exalted for you or brought low for you;
let me be full, let me be empty,
let me have all things, let me have nothing;
I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to your pleasure and disposal.
And now, glorious and blessèd God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours.
So be it.
And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.