I’d like to share an excerpt written by Steve Ellisor that can be found in our C-Sports Spirit Moments book. It is the foundation of our ministry and why we do what we do at Christ United Recreation Ministry.
Unexpected Blessing
During the formative months of the Recreation Ministry, a committee was organized to determine the policies and procedures of the Ministry. One of the first questions we addressed was, “Why are we doing this?”
Discussions regarding the church’s role in the community and our opportunity to provide healthy and recreational activities for our members were met with concerns about proper stewardship of resources. How, we asked ourselves, can we reconcile exercise, play, and family activities with the components more associated with “church” such as worship and education?
During one of the meetings, someone first introduced the verse from the 3rd Chapter of Proverbs that says, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” There it was! The question for us to answer became, “Why haven’t we been doing this before?” God, our Creator, must be acknowledged in everything we do. Then, those activities become acts of worship as the Holy Spirit will guide us in every way.
With that revelation directing us in our purpose and mission, the committee decided to place a stone marker at the entrance to the gym which would be a sign to all who enter that our God is acknowledged in everything we do.
I made calls, Googled, and everything I found that would fit our needs was in the thousands of dollars range. Our young ministry had no money and, to complicate things further, had my pledge that, “If we can’t raise it, we won’t spend it.” On a Monday evening a week or so after the committee had given me the task of procuring such a marker, I announced to our Administrative Board what it was I was trying to do. Their appreciation of the idea was dampened by the expected cost. I was at a loss.
The morning after the Administrative Board meeting, around 9:00 in the morning, I noticed a lady walking toward my desk from the sanctuary area. She approached me, introduced herself, and said, “I was on my way from Jacksonville, Florida to my office in Jackson, Mississippi, and God told me to stop here. I’m from Blessings in Stone and I’d like to give you a brochure.”
Wow! In the brochure were beautiful stone etchings of verses. We made a deal right then and there. Mr. Bob Powell from our church built a beautiful pulpit to fit the stone inscription of Proverbs 3:6…all of which cost less than $200! It sits at the entrance to the gym and continues to remind all who enter that everything we do is for, of, and about our Lord.
What a great foundation—we have been blessed by this!
Marcia K. Gibney
Director of Recreation Ministry
Christ United Methodist Church