Who usually does this?

Emalie — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 04:04:06 +0000

There were cobwebs on the fellowship hall door the other week. I’m sure there are cobwebs all the time. I’ve just never seen them before, because someone usually removes them before I walk through the door. Who usually does this? Julia arrived, and made coffee. I had never even wondered who made coffee. I guess I believed that elves arrived early and made coffee. Julia Witt does it now. Bob Mitchell made coffee for years, but now, Julia makes the coffee.

We can all be grateful that I don’t make the coffee, because I make terrible coffee. Homeless people warn one another about my coffee. That’s how bad it is. So my making coffee would not be a blessing. But Julia making coffee is a great blessing, as it was when Bob did it. What if visitors came, and I had made the coffee? We would offer them terrible coffee, and they might think the rest of the experience would be as bitter as the coffee. I promise not to make the coffee. I care too much about the church to inflict my coffee on you. But the point is, someone — presently Julia — who makes coffee with ease and grace — arrives early and makes good coffee. Coffee made with love.

All of this has me wondering, what other things are people doing? So many people do these things quietly, without fanfare or even thanks. Wednesday, someone had already cleaned the kitchen before the rest of us arrived. Someone usually vacuums. Someone usually cleans the choir loft. Someone usually empties the trash. Someone sharpens the pencils in the pews. Someone changes the wreaths in the fellowship hall every season. Someone collects the attendance pads. Someone runs off the bulletins.

Someone coordinates the acolytes. I filled in one time coordinating the acolytes. I needed a UN Peace Keeping Team, a Hostage Negotiator, and a lighter, none of which did I have. I needed a nap after my one Sunday coordinating the acolytes. It is an art. Someone coordinates the acolytes.

Someone buys cleaning supplies.Someone just sees a nail sticking up, and actually picks up a hammer and whacks it down. Someone sees a weed and yanks it out of the ground. I truly want to know who you are, and I want to thank you.

Thank you, Julia. You bless us with your coffee and your love. So, I am a teacher and this is a quiz. In this case, I am asking you to match just a few of the many of the tasks that are done at the church with the name of a person who does that task. If you can match the name, thank the worker who does it. I have given you the answer about Julia. See how many you know. Here is an incomplete list — a shamefully incomplete list — of jobs that someone usually does:Runs the sound system
Negotiates with Codes Department
Recycles cups and cans
Volunteers as our electrician
Unlocks the church

Serves as our backstage lighting coordinator
Vacuums the church
Brings clothes for homeless women
Landscapes and weeds
Cooks for fellowship meals
Organizes fellowship meals
Gives generously to special needs
Coordinates work days
Serves as liaison to Cloverbottom

Organizes construction projects
Organizes decorating projects

Brings underwear for RITI

Picks up supplies from Cokesbury
Checks answering machine and forwards messages
Mows the lawn with a push mower
Calls visitors
Calls members who are absent
Counts money
Records worship service and posts it on the website
Designs and maintains website
Replaces the wireless router every time it fries

Washes dishes
Unloads dishwasher
Deposits money
Welcomes visitors
Advises pet owners
Buys Sunday School supplies
Takes food to East Nashville Cooperative Ministries
Takes school supplies to Bethlehem Center
Makes items for the Blanket Brigade
Ships care packages to soldiers
Takes items to Alive Hospice

Coordinates Meals for Summit ICU patients and staff
Greets every visitor

Greets every member
Hangs drywall
Paints walls and trim
Cleans out old men’s bathroom
Organizes church tools
Loans tools to Mountain T.O.P. mission
Opens the church
Turns on the lights
Negotiates with local police officials when someone repeatedly sets off the alarm
Cooks for Room In The Inn
Coordinates Undie Sunday distribution

Sends socks to Room In The Inn
Makes lunches for Room In The Inn
Invites (harrasses) people to come to our church
Maintains our first aid kits
Pays way too much for potatoes
Takes meals to shut ins
Chaperons Youth for Safe Sanctuary Compliance
Leads Safe Sanctuary Training
Sends articles to Debbie for the newsletter
Designs newsletter (see above for hint)

Carols at Cloverbottom
Serves stateside and overseas in the military
Transports Youth and children to church activities
Donates to the music program
Calls shut ins
Honors veterans
Honors fallen soldiers
Coordinates special events and celebrations
Makes banners
Sings like an angel
Buys flamingo insurance
Relocates flamingos
Plays musical instruments
Donates craft supplies
Donates office supplies
Narrates programs

Shares books

Donates cleaning supplies

Does yard work for member in distress

Continues flood relief efforts
Maintains the church building

Coordinates acolytes
Gives sacrificially

Tenderly cares for health impaired members
Cleans the church
Works in the nursery
Relieves nursery workers for communion
Creates works of art for the church

Here are some of the names to match with those jobs: Betty, Susan, Joan, Sammie, Shirley, Shirley, Lane, Ed, Gabby, Richard, Melissa, Tim, Amy, Bri, June, Ken, Eve, Jim, Shari, Becky, Chuck, Robbie, Julia, Debbie, Tom, David, David, James, Maggie, Margaret, Sara, Ken, Teressa, Jerry, Connie, Sherry, Tom, Dean, Donna, Mitzi, Liz, Judy, Ron, Barbara, Jean, Lynn, Dot, Bobbie, Bobby, Alan, Chuck, Gale, Ronnie, Albert, Ethel, Mark, Faye, Lilli, Gene, Brian, Cathy, Debbie, Jillian, Colleen, Helen, Regene, Bill, Sissy, Judy, Maurice, Tom, Marci, Barbara, Ron, Jeannie, Cody, Kelly, Ned, Tom, Wes, Candy, Charlie, Stephanie, Suzie, Jaime, Courtney, Darla, Bea, Gary, Jim, Cindy, James, Jack, Lewis, Louis, Bob, Larry, Candy, Doug, Eddie, Sharon, Meagan, Chris, Elizabeth, Katelyn, Dakota, Gene, Lilli, Caitlin, Lisa, Chris, Chris, Jason, Russell, Lauren, Dylan, Mary, Victoria, Jean

Now, the danger in making any kind of list is that I will leave something off, and I would never, never want to do that. I have omitted the well known work of committee chairs, Sunday School teachers, board members, and our wonderful staff. Their work in those capacities is without question of tremendous value to the church. I am absolutely sure that I have omitted many important things. It has become painfully obvious to me, that I am missing a great deal of what goes on at the church, so please let me know! This is my request of you. When you see someone doing something, give them your thanks and tell me so I can do the same. To all of you who are doing these miraculous things to assure our safety and to magnify the beauty of our life together, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.

And if you are the one who sweeps the cobwebs off the doors, I think you are an angel. Thank you.

Emalie

Work Days Brighten HBUMC

Emalie — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 04:04:33 +0000

March 12, 2011

Join us Saturday for fellowship, fun, and, well, work.

Trustee Meeting Set for Wed March 10

admincw — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:30:16 +0000

March 10, 2010
5:00 pm	to	6:00 pm

The Trustees will Meet on March 10th at 5:30.

Council Meeting

Emalie — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:45:59 +0000

April 18, 2010
12:00 pm	to	2:00 pm

Please come to our rescheduled council meeting immediately after worship, on April 18. Everyone is welcome, and we have many exciting projects in the pipeline. Your input is very important. Come and throw in your two cents.

Church Workday

bugkiller — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 18:16:53 +0000

September 5, 2009

The church is having a workday on Sept. 5, 2009 starting at 7 AM going until we are done. Please anyone who can walk can do something so come out and join us.

Hickory Bend United Methodist Church » trustee

Who usually does this?

Work Days Brighten HBUMC

Trustee Meeting Set for Wed March 10

Council Meeting

Church Workday