Posts Tagged ‘volunteer’

Posted on January 24, 2010 - by kelly

Foundations

I happened to be watching one of those “How is this made?” type shows on TV the other night.  The topic was on modern building constructions with a focus on the new Las Vegas “City Center”.  The building cranes used to construct these massive towers were as fascinating as the building project itself. 

The entire outcome of this massive 16,797,000 square feet building project hinged on the proper placement and durability of  temporary, but vitally important cranes.  The cranes themselves were set into the ground with a foundation that lay 8 stories below the earth, 800 feet below the earth’s surface!  That’s quite a foundation.  Besides the foundation, these cranes were then affixed to the building itself in crucial locations.  One degree the wrong way, the crane could pull away from the building and bring the whole construction project to a halt causing casualties of life and property.

As a leader in Children’s Ministry I am reminded over and over the importance of laying a solid foundation for our children’s faith to grow on.  I never want to forget how important these early years are in the spiritual development of the children entrusted into our ministry.  But watching this building documentary reminded me of the even more important job of making sure our volunteers that help in this building process have a solid foundation to work from.  If their foundation isn’t deep enough, they can easily be pulled out of the ground by the weight of the load they are being asked to carry.  If they are not tethered to the building securely, they can topple, bringing down the buiding with them. 

In 2010 our church is taking deliberate steps to help members grow in 3 vital relationships every Christ follower should pursue: growing closer to God, growing in our relationships inside the church, and growing in our relationships outside the church in hopes of sharing Christ with those who don’t know him. 

By attending services and following up with personal study and prayer, our volunteers can ensure that their foundation remains deep and strong.  By connecting with other volunteers and participating in small groups, our volunteers can tether themselves to the church; allowing them to gain a greater appreciation for the investment they are making into the lives of the children they serve.  And it has been my personal experience that sharing the stories of things happening in Valley Kids with people not connected to the church always brings about questions and opportunities for me to share my faith.

Just as this architecturally stunning building complex could not be built without properly founded and secured cranes, Valley Kids could not begin to build into the lives of our children without our volunteers.  I hope our volunteers never forget the importance of the “building project” they are undertaking each time they serve.  It is an honor to be in the building business with such an incredible team.