Everyone is Needed

We have reached the day before the last day of roofing and gutting the parsonage.  The day began at thirty-eight degrees with the sun shining and the wind still.

I think we often hear of great work volunteers.  They come and work hard to better the lives of others.  They build, design, remove, paint, console, and a multitude of other tasks that change landscapes.  However, they could do their work without the money the rest of us are willing to contribute.  Folk like to say the church isn’t about money, and in a way, they are right, but in our context today, we all know money is at the crux of alleviating hurt.  The church cannot be all it might be if money is not given to feed, house, and care for the poor and oppressed—the reality is, volunteers would be standing outside the parsonage at this very minute, twiddling their thumbs, if it were not for those who have given money to better world, mission, and community.

It would be wrong to confuse those who give money and those who volunteer physical time though.  One isn’t better than another, but they are different, and mission needs both.  When done in combination, monetary giving and volunteer time, huge change occurs.  On building projects, a rule of thumb is the cost of materials equals the cast of labor.  Which means on remodels like the parsonage (and the labor on remodels is higher than on new construction), the money given by those of us who do not have the chance or cannot volunteer, is double by our sisters and brothers who can and do volunteer!

As today moves towards the noon hour, money and labor is hard at work.  The roof is quickly moving towards completion, the installation of soffits have begun, the grounds are being mowed and cleared, gutting the inside of the building continues, and painting of the Friendship house is finishing up!  The week has been an experience and the Mission campus is changing by the minute!