Why the Caring Ministry is needed

I recently read something in Max Lucado's book entitled "Traveling Light" (which is excellent by the way) that really touched my heart. I work in a Customer Service call center and have experienced many lonely people that call our 800 number simply for the chance to talk to a "live" human being. How very sad that anyone should have to be that lonely. God did not create us to live all alone. He created us with the desire to be loved and accepted for who we are. This is a large part of what the TTUMC Caring Ministry will focus on. We want to reach out to the individuals who come to fellowship with us each week who may not have someone to reach out and talk with in time of need. Or maybe they just need guidance or have questions about TTUMC.

Whatever their need, we want to assure them that they have someone who cares about them and about what happens in their lives. Our goal is to "team up" each individual in our congregation that is not already in a small group or being ministered to by another ministry in the church, with someone willing to make phone calls, visits, etc. to that individual. We want no one out there to be lonely. We want to bring a living Christ to a dying world starting within our body of believers. We want to make a difference in another's life so that God may be glorified.

As I prepare to ignite the fire for this ministry, I covet your prayers as well as any advice, ideas, recommendations, etc. Of course, I would gladly welcome your participation in this ministry as you feel led by our loving God. Here is the excerpt from Max's book that I referred to before. I hope it touches you as well.

"A friend of mine worked at a pharmacy while attending the University of Texas. Steve's primary job was to deliver supplies to nursing homes in the Austin area. An additional task, however, involved a short trip next door.

Every four days he shouldered a large jug of water and carried it fifty or so feet to a building behind the pharmacy. The customer was an older woman, perhaps in her seventies, who lived alone in a dark, sparse, and tarnished apartment. A single light bulb hung from the ceiling. The wallpaper was stained and peeling. The shades were drawn, and the room was shadowy. Steve would deliver the jug, receive the payment, thank the woman, and leave.

Over the weeks he grew puzzled by her purchase. He learned that the woman had no other source of water. She would rely on his delivery for four days of washing, bathing, and drinking. Odd choice. Municipal water was cheaper. The city would have charged her twelve to fifteen dollars a month, her expense at the pharmacy added up to fifty dollars a month. Why didn't she choose the less expensive source?

The answer was in the delivery system. Yes, the city water cost less. But the city sent only the water, they didn't send a person. She preferred to pay more and see a human being than pay less and see no one.

Could anyone be that lonely?"

Let's not let anyone we encounter in our congregation EVER get that lonely.