The church that doesn't need you

It was quite the week at my little congregation. One recent Monday morning, a multigenerational group of teens, young adults, and adults took off in two rental vans, headed for a youth service mission trip to West Virginia, something that's been a regular staple of the life of the church for years.

There, my congregation helped rebuild and repair homes during the day, and spent time in worship and fellowship at night. It was a wonderful blend of direct, hands-on, and material care for others with Christian faith-expression.

In preparation for this trip, I spent the last few months in a flurry of doing . . . nothing.