One for the Other

After the worship service, Charlie asked me if I would go see Roger because he seemed to have some concerns on his mind.  I assured him I would do so, but first we talked a bit about how things are going for him.  When I found Roger, he was not too happy that his caregiver was late in getting him up.  "I don't like to miss your service."  I smiled.  There was a time when he really felt uncomfortable in worship and would need some gentle coaxing to attend.  He then said, in his beautiful, very formal way, "Could you go see Charles? I am worried about him. I know he finds your friendship helpful."  I told him that Charles and I had talked, and added, "By the way, Charles is a little concerned about you!"  We laughed and talked some more, and then he asked, "If it is not too much trouble, may I have communion?"  He has come a long way from the days when he would contend, "I am not worthy."    

I continued to serve communion as people were brought into the activity room even after the service.  The community was short-staffed, and schedules were out of sync.  I walked into the office of the activity director who was bent over the work on her desk.  "I hate to ask this," she said, "But may I have communion?  I just could not get to the service. There is so much paperwork." She looked so weary.   She obviously had been in service all morning. 

I was recently asked how I measure the success of the ministry.  If success can be measured, and I am not sure it can, then it must surely be by these ongoing interactions.  I measure it when I hear the Lord's Prayer being recited in an Alzheimer's home.  I measure it  when I see Lillian, who is in her 90s, throw her head back and sing at full volume in that crusty voice of hers that is not even close to being on key. I measure it when I see people taking care of one another.  I measure it when staff members greet the worship team warmly, often with hugs.  I measure it when Rodney returns to worship on his first day out of bed in weeks.  I measure it when he says, "God loves you and we love you.  Take care of yourself."   I measure it by the loyalty of our incredibly beautiful volunteers.  Yet, most of the time I do not measure it.  I simply live it as best I can. 

 The last time, and this was a few years ago, when Roger said he was not worthy to accept communion, I decided to come clean.  "Roger, I go back and forth. Sometimes, I think all of us are worthy, and other times I think all of us are not. Regardless, I am convinced that we are all in this together, and because we are in this together, we are offered this gift of communion.  I, for one, cannot refuse it."  He paused, and then said yes.  And he has every time since then.  

Come join us when you can.