February Meeting

The theme of last week's meeting was Loving and Giving in Service. Harborside's own Senior Associate Pastor, Jonathan Adrian, was our guest speaker and he spoke about how to develop a heart for service to others starting in our own homes, groups, communities and into the world. What motivates people to give and serve? For some it is their duty as a wife, mother, or Christian that leads them to serve because they feel like they "have to do it. " The true rewards of serving come when you find yourself in a place where you WANT to care, give, share and love others. This can be a challenge when it is so easy to live in the safety of our bubble.
In Matthew 9:35-36 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Serving from the heart is a step by step process:

• What do we see in our world around us? If we are so focused on ourselves, we can fail to be open to opportunities to serve.


• We need to understand the heart of those in need. At this point, we can empathize and feel a natural inclination to help ~ a response to who we are.


• We are moved with compassion ~ this goes beyond just a basic feeling. It is more like being moved from the inside out, from the core of our being to help.


• We are determined to set forward in action.


• We find our way to serve, give and love in a way that is not just an act.

You might ask at this point, what can I do? God has blessed each and every one of us with specific gifts to carry out our ministry here on earth. Using a spiritual gifts assessment can help you pinpoint your strength areas such as: evangelism, leadership, mercy, administration, prophecy, giving, teaching, pastor, faith, encouragement, service, helps, wisdom, knowledge, hospitality and discernment. If you completed the assessment during our last meeting and would like to share your discovery, please feel free to post in the comment section below!

The real rewards of giving in service come from discovering our gifts and helping others. In doing this, you are becoming more of who you are, which makes us more of who God wants us to be, which then helps us become the body of Christ. This is the place where true reward is found.

In our creative activity, we assembled First Aid boxes filled with basic needs and scriptural inspiration to be delivered to the homeless. Thank you to everyone who contributed supplies and helped fill them up!