Pray before serving

I got a big reminder yesterday that it is very important to pray before the beginning of service. I was training a new member of the team. He already knows how to run a sound board, but needs to learn where we have everything attached, and how we handle duplication afterward.
Another fairly new team member came in as service was getting started. I let her take over for me so she could teach, therefore re-inforceing those things she has recently learned.

All this, and we had a problem that wasn't caused by lack of knowledge or experience. Our CD burner failed to write. Now, after service is a hectic time. The bookstore wants their copies, the workers each want their copy, and everyone wants to go home. It's late, some folks have skipped supper, and most of us have to work in the morning.

I have to give a lot of credit to my 2 crew memebers. Even with the challenge, we got the job done.

Answer to prayer

Our sanctuary seats about 190 comfortably and 250-260 with metal chairs in the isles. (Forgive me if my numbers are a little off, but it's close.) We have about 300 regular attendees if I have followed correctly. This means we have to do 2 services every Sunday.

For the H.E.L.P.S. ministry, that means twice the volunteer hours. (I'll talk more about H.E.L.P.S. in another post.) We had been running the Sound ministry on 4 or 5 members for a quite a while. Near the beginning of this year (2008) we had a meeting with the head of H.E.L.P.S. where we prayed for our numbers to double. In the last 2 months (approx) I have been joined by 2 sisters and 3 brothers. (The 3 brothers in the last 2 weeks!) As a side point, in a church whose ethnic diversity hasn't been very diverse, I am pleased that the sound ministry is currently being served by 5 black brothers/sisters, 3 white brothers, and 1 asian brother. I don't bring up ethnicity to stir up any trouble, quite the contrary. I love seeing the diversity and expect it to spread.

Inaugural Post

Welcome to Tec's Christian Blog.

I will endeavor to post frequently here regarding my faith walk. I expect to post about the sermons I hear, the revelations I receive from reading, or hearing sermons, and the struggles and victories I experience.

In the description of this blog I identified myself as becoming a leader. At the moment, that leadership role is mostly in the Sound Reinforcement Ministry. (We run the sound board) I am aided by a great group of brothers and sisters and supported by an excellent ministry. I am also part of the leadership team of something we call "Circles of Faith". It is a small-group ministry that meets in congregant's houses. My wife and I were the leaders of a previous manifestation of small group with this ministry, and are currently assistant leaders.

I have a calling as a teacher, but have not studied as much as I would like, or perhaps as much as I should. One of my challenges is making time to read my bible. When I do, I generally get out the Strong's concordance and start looking up words like crazy. ("get out" is usually figurative. I generally use biblegateway.com or crosswalk.com vs. a physical bible and concordance.) Some of my posts may have a teaching tone and or ramble a little. (Teacher's prerogative)