Christian love of ourselves includes acting on the faith that we are born with a meaning and purpose; a vocation and ministry that serves to strengthen and extend God's realm of love.
Jeremiah 1:5: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a
prophet to the nations."
Luke 5:15-16: But so much the
more the report when abroad concerning him; and great multitudes
gathered to hear and to be healed of the infirmities. But he
withdrew to the wilderness and prayed.
Romans 12:4-8: For
as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not
have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ,
and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ
according to the grace given to us, let us use them; if prophecy,
in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who
teaches, in teaching; the one who exhorts, in exhortation; the one
who contributes, in liberality; the one who gives aid, with zeal;
the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
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Corinthians 12:4-31: Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same
Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and
there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires
them all in every one. To each is given the manifestation of the
Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the
utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge
according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit,
to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the
working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to
distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues,
to another the interpretation of tongues. Al these are inspired by
one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as
he wills. For just as the body is one and has many members and all
the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with
Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews
or Greeks, slaves or free - and all were made to drink of one
Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If
the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong
to the body." that would not make it any less a part of the
body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I
do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a
part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be
the hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the
sense of smell? But as it is, Gad arranged the organs in the body,
each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single organ, where
would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one
body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of
you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of
you." One the contrary, the parts of the body which seem to be
weaker are indispensable, and those parts of the body which we
think less honorable we invest with the greater honor, and our
unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our
more presentable parts to not require. But God has so adjusted the
body giving the greater honor to the inferior part, that there may
be no discord in the body, but that the members may have the same
care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together;
if one member is honored, all rejoice together. No you are the
body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has
appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third
teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers,
administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. Are all
apostles? are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all
interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show
you a still more excellent way.
As Christians, we practice prayer as a daily discipline, seeking in prayer both to enjoy God's presence and to discern God's will for our lives and our faith communities. We accept it as one of our highest responsibilities and privileges to help those in our communities of faith discern God's direction for their lives, and to celebrate and value their discernment in the worship and missional life of the church. In every available way, we seek to help people develop and use their diverse callings as an expression of their faith.
We affirm that the Path of Jesus is found where all of Christ's followers are understood to be called into a ministry. God's intention for us can be found and followed, however haltingly and imperfectly, in obedience to the guidance and insights, which come in prayer. We hold this conviction to be true of the Church as well as of each of its members.
We confess that we have moved away from this Path when we have claimed that one form of ministry is any higher or more sacred than any other, in or outside a church. Further, we have moved from the Path when we have failed to concretely value meaningful input and participation by both laypeople and clergy in the worship and mission of our communities.
Go forth in the knowledge that vocation is a gift from God. Go forth celebrating or seeking a vocation that is a ministry to others. Amen.