“After all, what is Apollos? What is Paul? They are servants who helped you to believe. Each one had a role given to them by the Lord: I planted, Apollos watered, but God made it grow. Because of this, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but the only one who is anything is God who makes it grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together, but each one will receive their own reward for their own labor. We are God’s coworkers, and you are God’s field, God’s building. I laid a foundation like a wise master builder according to God’s grace that was given to me, but someone else is building on top of it. Each person needs to pay attention to the way they build on it. No one can lay any other foundation besides the one that is already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” -1 Corinthians 3:5-11 CEB
This passage always comes to mind when I leave a church. I have come to see over the years that I am a really good seed planter. I till the soil and get it ready for someone to come in after me to help it grow. But it is not really me or the person that comes after me that does all of this work, it is God working through us.
I have enjoyed my time at Grace greatly for the past four years. I can definitely say that we have seen some highs and lows during our time together. I remember my first task on the job was to figure out what to do with all the backpacks that had been donated to schools. I found two that would take them, Burrus Elementary and another school that I don’t remember right now. As you know, Burrus became our ministry partner once they reached back out to us and let us know their needs. Messy Church was another brainchild of mine, and we saw several day school families attend and even a few joined us. We have had Vacation Bible Schools, in-person and online, and we even did a few online pageants. The creativity and the pivoting have been very exciting over the past few years.
Thank you to everyone who has volunteered over the years. I could not have done this ministry without you. Thank you to everyone who pitched in or just showed up, those who planned lessons at home, and those who took home projects to complete and return. Through your efforts, we have done several ministries together, and I hope that you will show the same level of encouragement and help to those who come after me.
Blessings.
Mary Gossett
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