The theme for October is "Doing Good."
It may seem like a no-brainer for a church to talk about Doing Good, but the word "Good" has taken some hits over the years and I believe one of the biggest culprits has been the Church itself.
"Good works won't get you to heaven."
"The world is too corrupt and God is going to destroy everything anyway"(in some circles, this is what passes as "Good News.")
Have you heard those before? In some churches, doing "Good" is viewed as an assault on Grace, or at best, a fool's errand.
I think it is time to reclaim the word, "Good."
“Let’s not get tired of doing what is good.” Gal. 6:9 (NLT)
Besides making the theme, "Doing Good," I am using October to unveil a new/old way of doing church called, Everyday Spirituality:5x5. One of the 'essential habits' is daily extending ourselves to do "Acts of Kindness, Gratitude, and Service."
Acts of Kindness include letting someone go in front of you in the line at the store- or on the freeway, taking time to listen to someone even though you are busy, giving a kind and encouraging word, etc.
Acts of Gratitude include sending a Thank You card for kindness shown, telling someone how much you appreciate them, sending a quick email/text that expresses gratitude, etc.
Acts of Service include helping someone with a chore, taking on a task around the house that normally is done by others (dishes, trash, making the bed, cook dinner, etc.) or just doing a task that is expected of you and doing it not grudgingly, but cheerfully.
None of these various acts are earthshaking. But they are life-stretching, and that is the point. Each day find ways to do things that stretch you beyond your normal routine and comfort. Engage in Acts of Kindness, Gratitude, and Service that will cause you to notice and care for others...just a little more. The challenge is to do this five times each day. Try it and see what happens!
As a congregation, we are going to encourage one another by noticing the acts of kindness and service of others. One half of the Prayer Walk hallway* has been set aside this month for people to write the first name of someone whose kindness or service they appreciate, with just a few words of explanation. There are ways to place these acts on the wall so others will see. The point is to fill up the wall with lots of recognition and encouragement and to visualize the cumulative effect of these simple acts
I'm looking forward to making October a "Good" month, and I hope you'll join me!
*The other half of the Prayer Walk will display the good work of Habitat for Humanity and their efforts to help families establish a home and leading to our Special Offering on October 13.
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