Reflections by Rev. Dan Bogre
Dear Friends and Family of RRUMC,
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” - Colossians 3:23-24.
This beautiful scripture from Paul to the Colossians has been rattling around in my heart and brain for a few weeks now. As I was praying about the Circuit Rider article, I had a phone call from someone in the church, and our conversation had me once again meditating on this scripture. I was talking with one of the saints of our church, and she could not stop raving about what the “Backyard Missions” team ministry had done for her over the last few months.
What is the “Backyard Missions” ministry of RRUMC? It is a group of amazing men (women are welcome and invited to be a part of it too, but right now it is all men) who quietly work behind the scenes with members and friends of our church, and with people who do not necessarily have anything to do with our church, to help them out because they cannot do something for themselves. The person might be elderly. They might have a medical condition that prevents them from being able to do something. They might be alone and need help. The reason does not really matter to this amazing group of men. They just jump in and get the job done.
The work they have done is done just as Paul writes about in his letter to the Colossians. They do it with all their heart, and they do it as if they were doing it for the Lord. They hang ceiling fans, repair drywall, paint fences, repair ramps and stairs. They build storage shelves at Story Church. They put in the water line at our community garden at our Story Church campus. They power washed playground equipment, garages, and many parts of both of our churches. That is just a quick snapshot of what they have done. It is not even close to naming all of their accomplishments. They do it quietly and without fanfare. I don’t list the names here because I do not want to leave anyone out.
In the last three weeks, I have heard heartfelt testimonies from people of our church blessed by our “Backyard Missions” team, seen the pictures, felt the love, joy, and appreciation of a church for these amazing men. This article is to simply say thank you, gentlemen. Thank you for doing it with your whole heart and doing it as if you were serving the Lord, because you truly are.
Peace and Blessings,
Rev. Dan
The Backyard Missions group installed a loft in the Story Church garage in June. Thanks big time for everyone's help, you jumped in and did an excellent job. The first day was a bit tedious but Paul Ciarrone, Kevin Hendryx, Don Jones, and our new guy, Johnny Miller, were all there to help. Herb took care of the wiring and Frank Schwelik was a lifesaver with that chop saw.