Youth Director & Family Ministries

Spiritual gifts are specific ways the work of the Holy Spirit is manifested in our lives. These gifts – on top of our interests, hobbies, abilities, likes and dislikes join together to form who we are and how we participate in the work God is doing all around us. We all have needs, and when you put us all together to make up a church, those needs become the church’s needs. As we hear the Gospel, it changes our hearts. Our attention will begin to turn away from ourselves to those around us. Galatians 6:10 says “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” You can see the Gospel through the local church all across the world. Our church is sustained by faithful volunteer service. The church is people who love Jesus parking cars, holding babies, reading the Scriptures together, pouring tea and lemonade, and opening their homes. The Lord can use anybody. All you have to do is be willing to answer the call. This seems so small, but it really does require a change of heart. A good measure of our spiritual health is our depth of concern for other people. A phrase my friends used to say in college was “love finds a need and meets it.” We are all of the same body, brothers and sisters, and there is no doubt that we love each other here at St. Jacob’s. There is no better way to show love than to let God work in and through us by helping one another. If we learned anything this past year, it’s that we don’t want to do life alone. We’re not made for that. Even the most introverted people need to know that someone is in their corner. As we begin to open up, welcome people back, and begin having events, I want to encourage you to participate. There is so much to do and so many people to catch up with. I don’t want to ever take for granted how blessed we are to have each other here. Don’t be afraid to reach out to try something new or attend something new. We need to trust that God will equip us, guide us, and give joy for the work.
In Christ,
Rachel