Real Family Ministry

I talk/write much about family ministry, but last night got to experience it in a special way. My sister and her husband were vacationing at Sunset Beach and I was to preach at our Monday night service. Mary is a the children's music director at her UMC in Ohio and they are both active chancel choir members. We have often talked about the possibilities of being in ministry together. Monday night seemed to finally be that opportunity. I invited Mary and her husband, John, to do the special music. Of course, their music was wonderful, the the Word was heard and we enjoyed this time immensely.

However, as the day came to a close with prayers of thanksgiving, I realized Mary and I have been in ministry together for a long time. Shaped by family and friends in the rich tradition of Methodism and each claiming our faith again and again, we share a vision of the Kingdom of God. We both have reached out to children and introduced them to a life in Jesus Christ. We have nurtured youth in the faith in a variety of ways and walked with adults as they discovered new ways to know God. We have been in mission ministry near and far. We have knitted our prayer shawls, prepared meals and created worship experiences for others. We didn't have to be in the same place to be in ministry together, we just had to know the same God. May you be blessed in a similar way.