To Grow...Get Smaller

I once heard a pastor say that as a church, in order to grow we must get smaller.  He was referring to the importance of being connected to one or more small groups in the body for fellowship and care. 

I recently got to witness this firsthand in the hand bell choir.  Last spring one of our members noticed that another bell choir member still had winter studded tires on her car.  Apparently, her regular tires were pretty worn and she was procrastinating making the change over.  This special lady had been going through some tough times in the past couple of years and new tires were just not in the budget.

Our first member brought this situation to the entire bell choir (in member #2's absence) and after committing the situation to prayer, the choir members decided to do what we could to get new tires on her car. We set up a date to bring in donations and then contacted the Deacons Fund to see if they would be willing to help if bell choir members funds ran short.  Wayne Bernard, after consulting with the deacons, told us they would help if needed. 

Then God began to answer our prayers.  When we told our special ringer what we were doing we came to find out her brother was a service manager for a large car dealership in Salem.  We contacted him and discovered we could get a terrific set of tires for half the cost we had estimated.  We were able to pay for the new tires without going back to the Deacons Fund for assistance. 

Our special ringer was overwhelmed with gratitude and in a couple of days the new tires were installed.  After rehearsal one evening we all went out and "kicked the tires" in celebration. She recently told me how much this has meant to her and is now looking ahead to someday being able to pay this kindness forward.  Little did she know that this  was a way of helping my wife and I pay forward our gratitude to the bell choir who had helped us out financially several years earlier when I was unemployed for over a year.

Small groups are so much more than social gatherings.  They are a way to connect and care for our brothers and sisters in the body.  We are blessed to be a part of this terrific group.

--Jim and Joy Umstead and the entire hand bell choir.