. . . [W]hat does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
~ Micah 6:8

Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.
~1 Cor. 7:17

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
~1 Peter 4:10-11
What is God’s calling for your life?

Depending on our backgrounds and early learning, each of us probably has a different answer to this question. Some may even ask “is He calling me at all? What can I possibly do?” Many of us have come to Saint John’s for just this reason: finding a way to serve our God. The Saint John’s mission reflects our quest to make life better for our neighbors:

“We are creating a community where God’s love changes people and God’s people change the world.”

And indeed, Saint John’s offers many opportunities to serve - music ministry, children and youth activities, refugee assistance, alleviating food insecurity, homeless assistance, Habitat for Humanity, United Methodist Women, and many others. In the hustle and bustle of this life, I find myself taking the options for granted; surrounded by so many opportunities, I find it easy to make myself busy without much reflection on whether I am using my own abilities to the best benefit of others and myself.

Saint John’s regularly offers us a special opportunity to reflect and react to God’s tug at our hearts, by participating in the You Are Called initiative. This month, we are receiving a strengths and interests checklist that will provide a way of assessing our individual abilities and preferences, and serve as a guide for the church council and staff as they structure service and ministry options. I am finding the checklist useful in my own prayers for direction and in communicating with our spiritual leaders, and I hope you will too.
Karen Phillips
Fill Out Our You Are Called Form Online

At Saint John's, we believe that everyone has been given gifts by God. We honor these gifts by giving our time, talents and resources. Together, we can all work towards creating a community where God’s love changes people and God’s people change the world.

Respond to God's call to ministry and leadership by filling out the questionnaire at bit.ly/sjurcalled21. We will record and use this information for future volunteer opportunities at Saint John's United Methodist Church.

We will consecrate the paper and electronic forms on Sunday, September 26th during the service.