Thought for the week: The need to encourage each other on a daily basis

A few weeks ago, a local congregation had a somewhat unusual, but highly appreciated event in their church. They invited everyone – and I mean "everyone" - who had volunteered in any way in the past year, or who was offering their help in the new church year that is just starting, to a proper externally catered meal, together with an evening’s ‘craic’ in their halls.

There was just one picture projected on to the big screen in the hall for the whole evening with two words on it - "Thank you". In between the main course and the dessert, the congregation minister spoke very briefly on a verse that is a very important one for volunteers - First Corinthians 15.58: "Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain".

In almost every congregation, there are a lot of folks who give time, effort, prayer and commitment to others virtually every week. Some have very public roles such as welcoming people to church services or leading a youth group; others work very quietly in the background, perhaps in prayer ministry or pastoral care.

Some bring particular skills such as in finance; others do all sorts of tasks from cutting the grass to making the tea and coffee. Once you start to count all the roles that are needed to help a congregation to function, the range of gifts and people involved often comes as quite a surprise. Church life doesn’t just happen! People make it happen!

The congregational meal was a very appropriate and much appreciated valuing of the little army of volunteers. Of course, that appreciation ought to be an ongoing feature of congregational life.

So, at the risk of stating the obvious, may I encourage you to actively encourage and value others in your congregation on a very regular basis over the coming months. The Bible is quite explicit that we are to encourage one another "daily", (Hebrews 3.13), not now and again or when we remember.