Count our blessings

Count our Blessings (from computers to crochet)

I want to use today’s column to highlight a few of the many recent contributions from volunteers in Care Ministries. Our elementary Sunday School classes did two mission projects for Care Ministries this year. In February, they made little valentine hearts that we gave to homebound people and hospital patients. In April they made May baskets. These were little cones of construction paper filled with candies and silk flowers. We had 30 baskets for delivery at the beginning of May, and Wendy Nelson and her 7th grade class helped us to deliver them to homebound members and friends of our church. These little gifts brought tears of joy to many eyes as people realized that the loving connection with our church is not broken when you enter a hospital or nursing home. Just this week, I was in several nursing home rooms where the valentines and May baskets are still being used as decorations.
Michele Broman has recently joined us as a volunteer, sending greeting cards on behalf of the church to persons who have been ill, lost a loved one, or had other struggles. Michele sends cards every week, and it is wonderful to have her help. Don Donato set up a new blog site for Care Ministries. It’s called Care Talk, and you can access it by going to the church’s website www.umc.org. Now we can post news updates, information about health topics, and you can blog your questions and comments. Jan Hier recently updated her training in Hospice care, completing a two day course (7:30 AM-5:00 PM both days). She will be using some of her training as she serves as a team captain for the Grief Team. Her co-captain is Judy Foley, also a Rice Hospice volunteer. We thank Jan for her efforts, and we welcome Judy. One of our volunteers had surgery this Spring, and she was forced to give up doing care visits during her recovery. We are thankful that Lori Wright volunteered to visit in her place. Thank you, Lori, and I’m glad you’ve gotten to know a new friend during your visits!
Several skeins of soft, thick yarn were recently donated to our church. How could we use them? Lois Propp has volunteered to design and crochet lap blankets to give to those who are ill or suffering. We also have several knitters who make smaller prayer shawls that are worn on your shoulders. Prayer shawls are a very popular gift, and people often use them every day. One lady was asked by her nurse “who loved you enough to give you that pretty prayer shawl?” She answered “the people from the Willmar church gave me this, and I’m from Olivia!”
I am continuously encouraged by the willingness of so many people in our church to step forward and use their broad range of gifts to keep the Care Ministries program chugging along. “And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:19. Remember that even during times when we see problems in the church, we are constantly receiving blessings from our Lord. Let’s focus more on the blessings and less on the problems. The blessings come in the form of people who use their gifts in ministry. I’ve mentioned a few of our people/blessings here, and I invite you to think of others as well (you won’t have any trouble coming up with a long list). God’s hope for us is that we will always be a blessing. After all, our gifts come from Him: “Every faculty you have, your power of thinking or of moving your limbs from moment to moment is given you by God. If you devoted every moment of your whole life exclusively to His service you could not give Him anything that was not in a sense His own already (CS Lewis).”
“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. (2Cor 9:12)”