:: M squared T ::

:: Tuesday, November 11, 2003 ::

Leaf-Raking and the Presence of God

One of the questions I always ask people who go with me on Service opportunities is, "How did you see Jesus today?"

Saturday, our group raked leaves at a property owned by Restoration Urban Ministries (RUM). RUM is a church in Champaign-Urbana that ministers to the needs of the homeless in our community of 110 000. Some are homeless because of bad financial situations. Some are transitioning from prison back to regular life. Some are fleeing domestic violence. Many come, just needing a place to stay.

RUM helps people with their spiritual needs as well as their need for housing, and helps them find jobs and build financial skills as well.

So I asked my fellow workers: how did leaf-raking (something that could be done by anyone whatever their religious affiliation or commitment) become Christian Ministry?

The conversation was quite striking. We did this work as the body of Christ in Christ's name for those strangers who are to be as Christ to us as we assisted our brothers and sisters in Christ at RUM.

Sure, anyone can rake leaves. What made this event explicitly Christian was 1) our attitude and perspective (we are doing this for Christ) and 2) our intentional reflection on how we could draw out (exegete) spiritual truths from the experience that would help us be formed in Christ.

Is there anything we might be forgetting?

:: Matt 11/11/2003 07:14:00 PM :: permalink :: ::
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