A year ago a group of people sat around a conference room table in Cleveland, Ohio.  Having been invited to be part of something called General Synod Worship Advisory Team (WAT for short).  Here are my thoughts on that original call (really email).

I was sitting at work one epically busy day (May 2012) doing what I do…you know, using part of my brain to sift through some ideas for scheduling my fall semester at Hartford Seminary, part of my brain for jotting down notes for “Soak-it-Up” on my “Attached-at-the-Hip” notebook.  And the remaining bits of my brain power where being used to read through emails as I signed for a package!  NOPE…not busy at all.

I read an email where I was being invited to be a part of a planning team for worship services to take place during General Synod (ie. large-scale meeting of the UCC that takes place every other year).  Thinking that there must be some confusion I responded with a, “…this is awesome and exciting!! Please let me know how I can be of help.  I will let you know that though I am excited to be of help in any way that I can, ________ is Minister of Creative Arts and leads our worship team!”  I immediately forwarded the email to my Pastor with a note that she might soon hear from them.

My Pastor’s response was, “isn’t planning what you do?”  Uuuuuum, yeah, BUT.

The next day, I received a response to my message with a firm, your name was brought forth from 2 different people.  Do you accept?  And by the way, expect no payment, expect long hours, expect hard word, expect to troubleshoot, expect to meet new people, expect…I was reminded of my Sunday school lessons as a child, Samuel heard a voice and responded, “here I am” and after finally understanding that the voice he heard was God, “speak for your servant is listening.”

God called us to be uniquely ourselves, each with a different gift.  Each with a unique talent and ability.  Each with our own voices and experiences.  But we are Called to Ministry.  When we are called, we need only listen to the still speaking voice of God.