On Saturday, June 18, our families and children will restock shelves and tend to other tasks at the Community Market for a Family Day of Service. It is an extension of Vacation Bible School, where we talked about our calling to become Partners with God. The words of VBS will become the actions of Saturday morning, as families and children volunteer at the Community Market.
It is a day, which is not only an extension of VBS, but also an extension of Auburn First Baptist. Our family of faith has long valued service and mission in our local community. We have a long-standing partnership with the Community Market. Many of our church members volunteer at the Community Market on a regular basis.
We are grateful for the many ways we partner together, and with God, to extend the love of God to others. Our Family Day of Service reminds us that everything we do is a commitment to our shared calling. Whether it is gathering for worship, singing hymns, enjoying a potluck, bringing our offering, traveling to Passport, or studying scripture, we are partnering with each other, and with God, in a shared calling. We are giving voice to the steadfast love of God and putting actions to the ways of Jesus.
I often times think about this when I am confronted with hardship in this world. When faced with pain and tragedy, unsure of what can be done, I remember what we are already doing. Our gathering, singing, studying, and serving gives voice and puts action to the enduring, abiding love of God. We hope to represent the healing and hopeful grace of God in this world. We cannot do this without one another!
As the children restock shelves on Saturday and ask questions about the work of the Community Market, they will learn more about our shared calling. They will be able to see themselves as part of it. They will see the heartbeat of our family of family and why we do what we do!
-Tripp