September 27, 2012
“Come to Worship. Leave to Serve.”
In two days, sixteen members of the Church of the Dunes leave for a twelve-hour drive to the “Red Bird
Mission” near Berea, Kentucky. The group will spend a week there completing service projects to help the
underserved people who live high up in the hill country of Appalachia.
What few people realize is that individuals and families who live in this area of the country are gifted with the
rich tradition of craft making—using materials mostly from the land. Baskets made from honeysuckle vines
and creek willows are a delight to behold with their intricate craftsmanship. Other native art — both sturdy
and useful — are those colorful woven and braided rugs, made entirely of scrap and upholstery materials.
You’ve seen those, haven’t you? Handmade dolls, each with differing features, lure me in with their curious
expressions. Delicate angels and nativity scenes made of coal make one feel a sense of oxymoron when they
are picked up and held, causing one to realize the harshness of the material molded into such soft, beautiful
sculptures.
These crafts are honed from family traditions—originally developed in an age when self- sufficient lifestyles
were the necessary fabric of society near the isolated coal mines of Kentucky.
In reality, however, there are many poor people who barely eke out a living in this part of the country. They
desperately need our help. I’m not talking about a hand out but rather a hand up. That’s why the Methodist
church developed a mission there so that Christians from all over the U.S. can make yearly pilgrimages to
serve the underserved and ensure they are not forgotten.
Several people have called, e-mailed, Facebooked and visited with me here in my church office to wish me
well, offer prayers for safe travels and ask that I take lots of pictures to document the ways we will be serving
the people of Appalachia. Better still, we will be worshipping there in Appalachian country by attending church
services and also through our work, which is a form of worship and transformation. What a great moment for
mission. And, yes, service.
Ever wondered why people go to such trouble serving? Why even be a “servant”? What does it mean to
“serve” in this age of youtube, Twitter, economic downturns, the Arab spring and celebrity worship, which
places so much attention on the self and immediate gratification of self needs? The church offers many
thoughts about serving and being a servant.
Let’s take a look at the obvious: signage. Here at the Dunes’ church, there are two large signs that greet
people coming and going from church. The first one reads: “Come to Worship.” You can’t miss it with its
big, bold lettering. It appears on the drive as one crests the hill to the parking lot.
The second one reads: “Leave to Serve.” This one is placed at the end of the parking lot, as people leave
the grounds and prepare to enter Sheldon Road going north or south away from church. These reminders help
us go out each week to have a greater focus than ourselves.
Secondly, there’s Bible scriptures. Philippians 2:4 reads: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests,
but also to the interests of others.” Another well-known verse, Luke 6:38, reads: “Give, and it will be given to
you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the
measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Then there’s the book of Matthew, chapter 25, vs. 35: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty
and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick
and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.”
Third, there are the changed lives. Church members who’ve gone out on previous mission trips come back
with in-depth stories of transformation. Funny thing is—sometimes the person whose life is improved is not
the underserved but, rather, the servant. The gritty, searing reality of stump grinding, ripping up moldy
carpet, stripping wood, spending a day on your knees installing floor boards, painting houses, delivering food
and school supplies to the hungry, constructing homes or kitchen cabinets can cause one’s heart to soften.
Why is this such a good thing? Perhaps it’s not just the obvious, such as a soft heart or improved general
living conditions for the needy. It’s the caring. In fact, caring can be a path to the two-way street of Christian
joy. It’s giving of ourselves in order to instill a sense of dignity in others. It’s lives touched by the servant and
those served. It’s selfless transformation. No matter what type of mission work you choose to do, you are
doing good works of service above self.
So, as I pack those last minute incidentals and zip my suitcase shut, I will prepare myself for a taste of some
humble pie. We all should do that from time to time. Because, when we pay it forward we’re also paying it
back through a transformed heart. Small acts of kindness can make a huge impact on others, ourselves and
our world. Just go out and do it…
Come to worship. Leave to serve.