Parts of the Body
Illustration
Stories
“No problem.” Carl held up his hands. “If you tell me as the senior minister that I need to wait to hold the session until later in the week, then that is what we’ll do.”
Pastor Luke frowned. “Jack told me you were adamant that you had to start on Tuesday night --otherwise nothing would work properly.”
“Well.” Carl rubbed his neck. “It would make things easier if we didn’t have to delay. I mean, we have the promotional material all done up for the rally and we are talking to speakers.”
“Yet it is not impossible for you to move to a different date?”
“No, not if you tell us we have to.” Carl shrugged. “I don’t mind hearing it from you because you’re in charge.”
Pastor Luke sighed. “Why do you think that Jack told you that you couldn’t have that date for the rally?”
Carl shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“Do you know what Jack does?”
“He’s just the church custodian.”
Pastor Luke narrowed his eyes. “Do you know what that means?”
“It means that he is the one who cleans up and take the garbage out and stuff like that.”
“In part yes.” Pastor Luke started walking. “Follow me.”
They passed two Sunday school classrooms where there were sounds of laughter and singing.
“What’s happening in there?” Pastor Luke asked.
“I don’t know,” Carl said.
“Neither do I.” Pastor Luke took them up toward the sanctuary and they heard the sound of music. “Do you know who is practicing?”
Carl shook his head.
“Florence is, but the only way I know that is she stopped in on the way to the organ to say hello and to tell me that she and Ivy would be doing a duet for the prelude on Sunday.” Pastor Luke paused. “How long are they in for?”
“I have no idea,” Carl said. “I guess until they are finished?”
Pastor Luke smiled. “I doubt they will ever practice enough to make Florence happy.”
The two came around the corner and Pastor Luke stopped in from of the custodian’s closet. He knocked once. The door opened and Jack stepped out.
“Hey Pastor Luke, hey Carl. What can I do for you?”
“I just wanted to check that the 25th until the 27th is okay for the rally in the hall.”
“I think so.” Jack pulled out his cell phone and clicked a few buttons. “Yes, that works. Will people be coming into the main doors or the side ones?”
Pastor Luke looked at Carl who shrugged. “Which do you suggest?”
“With the parking, I’d suggest main doors for the entrance and both sets of doors for the exit.”
Carl thought for a moment. “That sounds like it would work.”
Jack punched a few more buttons on his cell phone. “Great. I’ll make sure everything is opened up and ready for you a half hour before and close up a half hour after. Anything else?”
“Who is in the classrooms?” Pastor Luke asked. “And do you know how long Florence and Ivy are practicing for?”
“There is a preschool program in the first classroom and the other one is a moms and baby program. You should drop in around 10 to the moms and baby program when they have coffee. They are always happy to have company.” Jack looked at his phone again. “I didn’t see anything else in the sanctuary this afternoon, so I told them it was fine to play as long as they wanted. Do you need it for something?”
Pastor Luke shook his head. “Not at all just curious, thanks Jack.”
Pastor Luke and Carl headed back toward his office.
“Do you understand now?” Pastor Luke asked.
“Understand what?”
Pastor Luke stopped. “When St. Paul talks about the parts of the body and everyone having their place, the truth is that the church is very much like that. There are decisions that are mine to make since I am senior pastor but the other people here all have their roles. Jack looks after the building, and I’ll defer to him about most property matters especially when it comes to timing and crowds because that is what he does for us. Just like I defer to Florence when it comes to music.”
Carl nodded. “I guess that makes sense.”
“It actually makes more than sense, it makes the church a better place because everyone is able to contribute and use the gifts that God have us.” Pastor Luke smiled. “I’m a disaster when I try to play the organ.”
“Thanks, Pastor. I think I’ve learned something. I need to go and talk to Jack.”
“Why? I thought we settled the date.”
“We did but I may have been a bit short with him and should apologize. Everyone has their role to play, and everyone deserves respect too.”
“Amen to that,” Pastor Luke said.
*****************************************
StoryShare, January 23, 2022, issue.
Copyright 2022 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
Pastor Luke frowned. “Jack told me you were adamant that you had to start on Tuesday night --otherwise nothing would work properly.”
“Well.” Carl rubbed his neck. “It would make things easier if we didn’t have to delay. I mean, we have the promotional material all done up for the rally and we are talking to speakers.”
“Yet it is not impossible for you to move to a different date?”
“No, not if you tell us we have to.” Carl shrugged. “I don’t mind hearing it from you because you’re in charge.”
Pastor Luke sighed. “Why do you think that Jack told you that you couldn’t have that date for the rally?”
Carl shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“Do you know what Jack does?”
“He’s just the church custodian.”
Pastor Luke narrowed his eyes. “Do you know what that means?”
“It means that he is the one who cleans up and take the garbage out and stuff like that.”
“In part yes.” Pastor Luke started walking. “Follow me.”
They passed two Sunday school classrooms where there were sounds of laughter and singing.
“What’s happening in there?” Pastor Luke asked.
“I don’t know,” Carl said.
“Neither do I.” Pastor Luke took them up toward the sanctuary and they heard the sound of music. “Do you know who is practicing?”
Carl shook his head.
“Florence is, but the only way I know that is she stopped in on the way to the organ to say hello and to tell me that she and Ivy would be doing a duet for the prelude on Sunday.” Pastor Luke paused. “How long are they in for?”
“I have no idea,” Carl said. “I guess until they are finished?”
Pastor Luke smiled. “I doubt they will ever practice enough to make Florence happy.”
The two came around the corner and Pastor Luke stopped in from of the custodian’s closet. He knocked once. The door opened and Jack stepped out.
“Hey Pastor Luke, hey Carl. What can I do for you?”
“I just wanted to check that the 25th until the 27th is okay for the rally in the hall.”
“I think so.” Jack pulled out his cell phone and clicked a few buttons. “Yes, that works. Will people be coming into the main doors or the side ones?”
Pastor Luke looked at Carl who shrugged. “Which do you suggest?”
“With the parking, I’d suggest main doors for the entrance and both sets of doors for the exit.”
Carl thought for a moment. “That sounds like it would work.”
Jack punched a few more buttons on his cell phone. “Great. I’ll make sure everything is opened up and ready for you a half hour before and close up a half hour after. Anything else?”
“Who is in the classrooms?” Pastor Luke asked. “And do you know how long Florence and Ivy are practicing for?”
“There is a preschool program in the first classroom and the other one is a moms and baby program. You should drop in around 10 to the moms and baby program when they have coffee. They are always happy to have company.” Jack looked at his phone again. “I didn’t see anything else in the sanctuary this afternoon, so I told them it was fine to play as long as they wanted. Do you need it for something?”
Pastor Luke shook his head. “Not at all just curious, thanks Jack.”
Pastor Luke and Carl headed back toward his office.
“Do you understand now?” Pastor Luke asked.
“Understand what?”
Pastor Luke stopped. “When St. Paul talks about the parts of the body and everyone having their place, the truth is that the church is very much like that. There are decisions that are mine to make since I am senior pastor but the other people here all have their roles. Jack looks after the building, and I’ll defer to him about most property matters especially when it comes to timing and crowds because that is what he does for us. Just like I defer to Florence when it comes to music.”
Carl nodded. “I guess that makes sense.”
“It actually makes more than sense, it makes the church a better place because everyone is able to contribute and use the gifts that God have us.” Pastor Luke smiled. “I’m a disaster when I try to play the organ.”
“Thanks, Pastor. I think I’ve learned something. I need to go and talk to Jack.”
“Why? I thought we settled the date.”
“We did but I may have been a bit short with him and should apologize. Everyone has their role to play, and everyone deserves respect too.”
“Amen to that,” Pastor Luke said.
*****************************************
StoryShare, January 23, 2022, issue.
Copyright 2022 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
