Tap into the potential

Sitting in an airport waiting for the flight home to Winnipeg has given me the time to reflect on the events of the past five days.

That the youth gathering happens at all is only by the grace of God. It is an entirely volunteer effort. With overall attendance above 500, it is the largest event LCC holds, yet no paid staff is involved, except the person responsible for writing cheques in Winnipeg! Yes, the president is consulted and I provide some input, but that involvement is miniscule in the planning of this kind of event. Much of the work is done by LCC’s deacons who give their time beyond the call they currently serve.

I had a glimpse of the passion that drives the volunteers to take vacation, drive for hours and spend five sleep-deprived days all for the sake of ensuring LCC’s young people stand firmly in their faith and their leaders are well equipped for ongoing service. At one point Lynn Gergens had tears in her eyes as she told the story of Jesus reaching out to Peter, restoring him. “Jesus is reaching out to you to restore you as He did Peter,” she said, her voice breaking. Everyone knew at that point how much she loved the Lord and how much she loved the youth.

Then there were the volunteers known as iBods, young men and women whose role was to help guide people to venues, hand out materials…in a single word—serve. What a great example for everyone. The iBods were a tangible expression of what it means to serve one another.

Our church body is blessed with so many talented, gifted, skilled people who are willing to give freely of their time in service to God and His people. I wonder how many servants will come from the hundreds of youth who attended the gathering, what talents and gifts they have to offer? The potential is enormous, and I’m excited about the possibilities.