No, the noises weren't spooky sounds, although it is the right time of year!  They were noises of the women cleaning the kitchen!  Cleaning the kitchen, taking everything out of every cupboard, labeling items that need labeling, wiping the cupboards down, and putting items back!  Seems like it would be pretty exhausting, but then time passed, and I thought I would take a look and see how things were going, and they were having coffee because they had finished cleaning and organizing!  Many hands make light work!  Then the ladies shared in some lunch and fellowship (they even let this pastor join in)!  Why am I sharing this with you?  Lately we have been highlighting different areas around the church that people have been working/volunteering in during the children's sermon, and this is one way that people are giving back to the church...not really a glamourous way, but it was something that needed to be done.  Also, because there were many, it didn't take too long to do it, and I don't think it was too difficult for anyone to do while doing it together.  

It reminds me of when Moses' Father-in-Law was basically telling Moses that he couldn't do it all, he was going to burn out, and the people too!  He needed to enlist others to help in matters.  "They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you...then you will be able to endure the pressures..." Exodus 18:22-23 

We need each other; it takes everyone doing their part (whatever part that is) for us to be able to reach out with the Good News of Jesus!  

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, far away...just kidding!  I once heard 'what if we were to change our wording from volunteers to servants would that change our perception?'  I'm not so sure, but it doesn't change the fact that we do in fact need volunteers or servants.  Every organization needs volunteers in order to function to its full potential.  If you been in church, whether in person or on line, you have witnessed that we have been doing something different during our children's time lately.  An individual from Bethel saw that we were in need of worship volunteers, and indicated that people needed to see or hear something 7 times before it was committed to memory (I once heard 17 times).  Anyway, this person had an idea, and donated 16 $10 Casey's Gift Cards to be used to do something fun from then until the end of the calendar year.  The fun, was having a child/youth pick a number that corresponded with a name of someone who had volunteered that week, with the criteria that they had to be present to 'win.' 

This person had gone through the trouble of listing all the things that people do to volunteer at the church throughout the year, and tallied it all up to just under 4,000 for the year!  That is way more than any 1 person can do, way more than even 20 people can do!  We need each other to live into our full potential!  So we have created a Google Spreadsheet, that one sheet is for 2022, and then the other is for 2023 for Worship Volunteers/Leaders.  I invite you to take a look at your calendar and see what you have available and sign-up today!