For the last few weeks, you will have seen a picture of your beloved Vicar in this publication, grinning from ear to ear next to this caption – ‘Left: a cheerful volunteer’. I greatly enjoy the time I spend supporting our brilliant staff team by helping out at the desk or in the shop. I spent two hours doing it last Sunday.
But last Sunday wasn’t out of choice. It was necessary. Otherwise, we might have had to close the tower, with a subsequent loss of ministry of welcome to tourists – and, let’s face it, income. And, to be honest, there is other stuff I’m meant to be doing on Sundays …
Last week a choir practice had to be cancelled at very short notice. It wasn’t out of choice. It was necessary. Otherwise we would have broken the law with regard to safeguarding. If this has to happen again, it will be bad news for our choirs and all the music we love that so enhances our worship.
We are blessed with a fantastic staff team. But they/we need the support of volunteers from our church family. We have been asking nicely for months. Now I need to ask with a little more firmness. We really need volunteers. I know how busy people are. But the more people who offer their time and talents, the less time will be needed. And, as Christians, offering our time and talents is not a box for us to tick if we feel like it – it’s part of the deal.
At Candlemas we will be having a campaign to encourage everyone at Great Saint Mary’s to consider how they can offer their gifts, their time, and their skills, for the good of the whole. We’re excited about that.
But we can’t wait until the New Year. There are all sorts of ways in which you can help, really easy stuff that needn’t take long, and can make a huge difference. Have a look at the list of opportunities at the bottom of this eMag — then pray, and think, and respond. What’s more, it’s fun – take it from a cheerful volunteer!
