Two thousand years ago, Christianity was brand new. It was kind of like a start-up company. It had a very inspiring founder, Jesus, of course. The healer, the teacher, the preacher, the miracle worker, and very special Son of God.

But after Jesus returned to heaven, someone had to keep this new enterprise going. It needed not just someone but someone(S) plural to help spread the Good News. Saint Paul was one of the first someones to enthusiastically answer the call.

Churches were popping up all over in different cities: Corinth, Rome, Galatia, and Ephesus. To encourage these new Christians, Saint Paul would write them letters. (They did not have email way back then.😊). Today in church we heard a reading from Saint Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, the people who lived in Ephesus. Besides encouraging, Saint Paul was doing some recruiting. Let me share with you what he wrote:

“The gifts that God gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the Body of Christ.“

There were all kinds of job openings. No matter what your gifts were, there would be a job for you. The Body of Christ means being the love of God in the whole wide world, not just in a church building. Way back then they did not even have any church buildings yet.

God is calling. Ring! Ring! What might be God calling you to be? What might God calling you to do? Close your eyes and imagine what wonderful amazing thing you would like to grow up to be. (Or maybe more than one something!)

• A teacher?

• A musician?

• A poet?

• A librarian?

• A veterinarian?

• A firefighter?

• A police officer?

• A doctor?

• An EMT (someone like a medic who helps in emergencies)?

• An airline pilot?

• An astronaut?

• An astronomer (someone who studies the stars)?

• An entomologist (someone who studies insects)?

• A paleontologist (someone who studies dinosaurs)?

• An archaeologist (someone who digs into the dirt to study. the past)?

• A painter (of houses or pictures)?

• An architect (someone who designs houses and buildings)?

• An oceanographer (someone who studies life in the sea)?

• A biographer (someone who writes stories about interesting peoples’ lives)?

• A park ranger?

• A chef?

• A horticulturist (someone who is expert at planting at plants)?

• Maybe even a priest like me?😊

This is a very long list — and you can look at the picture gallery of God’s job openings too! But there are so many, many more wonderful ways to use your God-given-gifts to bring God’s awesomeness into the world.

So, I invite you to write an encouraging letter to yourself. Write out all of the things, or maybe also draw all the things, that God is inspiring you to be. And share your letter, your good news, with your friends and your family.

I would like to hear about it too! Maybe you can put it in the mail and send it to me!

💙💙💙

Joani

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Spirituality The Episcopal Church Children's Homily Ordinary Time Podcast The Rev. Joan L. Peacock