They come from all across the state of Minnesota. They often travel great distances. They sacrifice time with their family and their leisure time. They are not paid, but rather give freely of their gifts. They are, in my humble opinion, ECMN saints!
“I sing a song of the saints of God,
Patient and brave and true,
Who toiled and fought and lived and died
For the Lord they loved and knew.
And one was a doctor, and one was a queen,
And one was a shepherdess on the green:
They were all of them saints of God – and I mean,
God helping, to be one too.”
This last weekend the final Meeting of Elected Bodies (MEB) of the 2017-2018 program year took place at the ECMN Retreat Center. Four times a year these faithful, dedicated souls gather to share and strategize about God’s Mission of becoming the Beloved Community. Tirelessly, members of our Elected Bodies work to assist our faith communities in getting the resources they need to engage God’s mission. They are, in my humble opinion, ECMN saints!
“They loved their Lord so dear, so dear,
And His love made them strong;
And they followed the right, for Jesus’ sake,
The whole of their good lives long.
And one was a soldier, and one was a priest,
And one was slain by a fierce wild beast:
And there’s not any reason no, not the least,
Why I shouldn’t be one too.”
ECMN is resource-rich, particularly when it comes to people. We have an enormous number of highly competent, capable, experienced individuals willing to share their gifts for ministry on Council, Trustees, Standing Committee and Commission on Ministry. Working in collaboration with your Team of Missioners, these folks serve as the resource networkers for all our faith communities. They are, in my humble opinion, ECMN saints!
“They lived not only in ages past,
There are hundreds of thousands still;
The world is bright with the joyous saints
Who love to do Jesus’ will.
You can meet them in school, or in lanes, or at sea,
In church, or in trains, or in shops, or at tea;
For the saints of God are just folk like me,
And I mean to be one too.”
“I Sing a Song of the Saints of God,” Lesbia Scott
I could not be more grateful for these ECMN saints. Maybe God is calling you to be one, too. Please prayerfully discern serving on one of our Elected Bodies and apply today: http://episcopalmn.org/nominations
Source: Bishop Brian Prior – ECMN Saints