For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, through many are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body---Jews or Greeks, slaves or free---and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.  Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many.  If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less apart of the body.  And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?  If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.  If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body.  The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need for you” nor again the head to the feet, I have no need for you. On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.  1 Corinthians 12 vs 12-22 Most of us have had the responsibility of organizing an event.  It could have been something as small as a dinner with friends or a holiday gathering.  Then there is the big events like a church garage sale, VBS or a church fundraiser.  If you are the only one doing everything you would be overwhelmed, stressed and maybe even find a quiet place to cry. But then, someone comes to you and says, I’ll do fliers and advertising, someone else says, I can’t do advertising or fliers but I can set up the tables, and another, I can’t help with the tables but I can decorate, and another I can’t be there that day but I can provide food and drinks and drop them off before the event; and then another, I can’t do much but I can pray for the event. Before you know it you have Advertising and fliers, tables, decorations and food and people praying for the success of the event.  Each one willing to give their gifts of time and talents to make this event amazing. In our lesson today we learn the Church is the body of Christ having many members who have a variety of gifts. In our body of Christ at Community of Grace we have many members that give their gifts. They volunteer on our Vision Board, those that care for the building we worship in, those that give their gifts in the garden to provide for others, those that give their gifts in worship by singing and reading and playing instruments and many, many others that share their gifts in small ways that go unnoticed, but without their gifts a part of our community would be missing. God has given us all talents and gifts. Whether big or small each one is important in the Body of Christ. Prayer:  Dear God, show me my gifts and how I can use them.  Help me to see, I am part of the Body of Christ. Amen                                   

Written By: Trudy Hanson