Mininstering to the minister

I have said before and I'll say it again: I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support I have received from people. Certainly from friends, acquaintances and strangers alike - especially through this blog, I have heard from people I haven't heard from in years, or who I didn't even think knew who I was anymore. My heart grows a bit with each such contact.

One of the most touching connections I have made has, interestingly enough, been with people at my churches who are not (yet) even members. The other day, we had a family visiting one of my churches - a mom, daughter, and grandpa. This was the Sunday just after my diagnosis, and while there had been an email sent out to that effect, not everyone is on email, so I decided to make an announcement about vaguely what was happening, and request prayers for an upcoming doctor's appointment. On the way out of worship, I was all ready to greet this family and welcome them and thank them for joining us, but before I could say anything, they told me that they would be praying for me this week. Later, at coffee hour, when I went to talk to them, they wanted to know how I was doing. What a beautiful moment, when the people I thought I should be ministering to instead began ministering to me.

Another similar experience was when I met this weekend with some soon-to-be new members of one church about joining. They invited me to their lovely home, and we learned about each other, found many things in common, and had a good talk. This is a woman who, the very first time they visited back in the spring, asked me on her way out, "Is there anything I can be praying for for you this week?" And now, again as I was intending to ministering to them, I was sent home with a bag full of homemade tomato soup, homemade raspberry jam, and leftover cherry dessert.

This experience truly has been beautiful, and incredibly humbling, and a poignant reminder that we are all in this Body of Christ thing together, each ministering to and loving one another. Three cheers for the "priesthood of all believers"! God grant me the humility to receive the help people are so eager to give, the grace to let myself be a member of these congregations even as I am their pastor, and the hope to go forward in faith.