Why do we serve? Because it’s fun? Because it makes us feel good? Because we want to grow into a bigger church? Those are all reasons, but are they the reasons God intended for us to have?

St. Theresa of Avilla put it this way:
Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.

 
We serve because we are ambassadors of Jesus. We are faith working through love. We share the gospel through service because we want people to know the transforming power and presence of Jesus in their lives.

What would happen if we only served when it was easy or when we felt like it? For some in the St. Charles area, it may have meant going without meals for a few weeks. Due to recent flooding in our area, the Salvation Army had to close its kitchen for a while, meaning many clients were missing out on meals. It would have been easy for volunteers to say, “Oh well, nothing we can do about it,” or, “At least we get a break this week.” But instead, they put their heads together and found a way to make sure those clients didn’t have to do without. Together, they packed sack lunches at the church to deliver to individuals in need.

If we only served when it was easy, many residents in flooded areas would be left to deal with cleanup efforts on their own. But instead, they have supplies from 500 flood buckets because volunteers didn’t let the rising waters get in their way. They even delivered supplies by boat!

That’s what faith working through love looks like. That’s being transformed by Jesus’ love and extending it to others. That’s why we serve.

Wondering how you can help serve the community? Contact Missions Director,  Denise Spalding, to get started.