Ministering In My Fathers House

I pause today after what seems like not just a busy day, but a busy month.
I have been an "administrator" at three funerals at our church in the last five weeks. Our two vicars have been away for two weeks holiday, our lay minister is away while her husband is very ill in hospital, and I have been at Synod for a weekend. This all above my normal work hours in our church office and the rest of the things in my life.

This morning I had to prepare and take communion at the 8.00am service (as the three people I mentioned above are all away) and although it meant a very early rising for a Sunday morning, it means I am concentrating on God and being His servant.

I have to set up the communion cups, plates, wine and bread as well as read the service and distribute the wine. Today was the first day I have had to do all of it on my own. Although I felt I floundered a little I was told by different people that I did well and that I have become very good at it.

For the 10.00am service our team was on worship and as requested by our worship leader, I had to play guitar to lead the singing, on my own, as both the pianist and the bass player were sick/away.
That meant a practise in between both services and it also meant I had to sing, some bits on my own!
I felt I was really being thrown in the deep end but God was with me all the way and when I arrived home I felt at peace for all I had done.

Next week will be another one of many demands but I am learning to just do what I can and leave the rest, as it will all still be there another day or someone else will just get it done.

My great, great, great Grandfather was the Rev. Charles Baker a Methodist Minister and a very early missionary to New Zealand. He oversaw the building of New Zealand's first church and had a lot to do with negotiations between the Maori chief's and Governor Hobson around the Treaty of Waitangi.
He is standing in front of the thick flag pole in the traditional picture or the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.

The signing of The Treaty

I was reminded of the verses in the bible this morning from

1 Samuel 2:30
30 "Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: 'I promised that your house and your father's house would minister before me forever.' But now the LORD declares: 'Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained. 

Psalm 101:6

6 My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me.

God has a plan and He is continuing the work He began, not just in me, but in my whole family from generations gone by.

The Communion Table after the service

All Scripture is from (New International Version)