We are calling February staff and volunteer appreciation month.  October has come to be known as Pastor Appreciation Month, and it just seems to make sense that we also set aside a month to appreciate the volunteers at Crosspoint, and our staff members who are not pastors and yet work extremely hard in the ministry.  Those staff members are Becky Williamson who directs SonChasers.  Krista Swanson who is our office manager, bookkeeper, and administrator extraordinaire.  Val Grady who cleans weekly and helps us maintain the building, and its first impression for our guests.

February is volunteer and staff appreciation month. 

And the funny thing about calling a month a ‘month of appreciation’ is just that…it is a month.  The Bible calls us to encourage one another, not just for a fraction of the year, but all the time.  So just like the goal of pastor appreciation month is to develop an ongoing culture of encouragement, support, and love shown to pastors, so this month is trying to spur us on as a church to encourage and love our volunteers and staff.  Those people (AKA: you all) are vital and serve so faithfully, and truly put your love for Jesus and others into practice.

Appreciation is not just from pastors to volunteers/staff, but ultimately it is on all of us, to encourage one another, love one another, and spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

We’ll be doing some things over the Sundays in February  to show appreciation to and encourage our volunteers and staff.  More than anything, I charge you, the church, to find ways to be intentional in showing love to those who serve out of a heart of love. A hand written card, a text or phone call to them, a note to them through email or Facebook, stopping them and just thanking them face to face, a gift card…get creative.

Consider the people who…

• Serve people coffee on Sundays
• Lead us in worship and singing on Sundays in the Living Room
• Run audio and visual so we can hear and see
• Oversee the church and shepherd our people…our elders
• Direct our SonChasers ministry
• Purchase and organize the supplies for SonChasers
• Create our graphic designs with excellence
• Lead children in SonChasers worship
• Lead students in worship at HYPE
• Carry out the trash
• Help our guests find open seats
• Clean the toys in SonChasers
• Clean our building
• Recruit volunteers to join ministry
• Help people find community
• Stuff the programs
• Prepare and serve meals to HYPE students
• Research and find the right curriculum for our children and students
• Open your door and greet you on a Sunday
• Answer your questions and put you in the right direction
• Check in your children and welcome them to SonChasers
• Plan the special events
• Serve on our Building Team, helping us manage the building and property for the glory of God and His mission
• Teach children in SonChasers
• Set up and tear down before and after services
• Clean up following Sunday services
• Handle our computers, networking, and technical issues
• Administrate behind the scenes
• Keep our financial records and budgets
• Pray for fellow Crosspointers
• Upload our podcasts
• Lead 3D Community Groups
• Organize games for our HYPE students to play
• Serve on our Finance Team, helping us manage money for the glory of God and His mission
• Care for and love babies and toddlers in the nursery
• Maintain and improve our building and grounds
• Dress up in costumes and serve with full on energy to capture the attention of a child
• Disciple and lead students in HYPE
• Communicate with missionaries and help us be driven to reach people
• Plow the snow
• Build sets and artwork for events like VBS and HYPE
• Prepare meals and food to serve others
• Open up their homes for community groups
• And the list goes on and on and on…

1 Corinthians 12:12-14:  ¹² The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.¹³ Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles,some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.¹⁴ Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.

Thank you for doing your part in the Body.  And thank you for expressing love, appreciation, and encouragement to those who are also doing their part.

May we be extravagant in our love for one another.