From time to time, we give worshippers a chance to choose between two learning styles.  On Sunday morning Feb 27, some participants chose a “workshop format” as we thought together about spiritual gifts.

Here are the abilities and spiritual gifts that our participants are praying are found at St Michael’s in greater measure.  I’ve repeated a word where more than one group named it, and grouped them in what seemed to me to be sets of similar gifts:

A

Kindness and mercy

Kindness to the depressed or those struggling with mental health

Counselling for young people

Hospitality

Hospitality

Help and care

People who can encourage us

 

B

Evangelism

Evangelism

Outreach

 

C

People who are “on fire” spiritually

The supernatural gifts – miracles, tongues, healing

 

D

Musicians who can lead contemporary worship

People who can lead “worship that flows”

 

E

Ideas people/apostolic

People who can start new things

 

F

Administration

People who can maintain structures

 

G

Leadership

H

People good at relating to young people

Several groups made the point that we probably have all the gifts needed, but some way is required to help those with gifts “step forward” and offer them.  Other groups said that we needed more teaching on spiritual gifts – especially the supernatural ones – and more opportunity to use them in worship and “weave them into our lives”.

Could you pray that these gifts are indeed found in greater measure at St Michael’s?  And of course part of that prayer has to be to say “and if it’s me you want to have that gift, please give it to me, Lord!”

If you’ve been following our SHAPE process – or even if you haven’t – we would love to give you the chance to meet with a church leader for a consultation on your gifts, passions and ministries.  It will be your chance to tell us what your strengths and skills are, and for us to suggest areas of church life – or indeed life outside the institution of the church – which might be tailor-made for you.

Please sign up at the sheet at the back of church for a 20 minute slot.  The available times are:

Sunday March 13, 3-5pm; Wednesday March 16, 2-4pm;

Wednesday March 16, 7-9pm; and Saturday March 19, 10-12am.

If you’d like to bring a photocopy of the final two pages of your SHAPE prayer diary with you, that would be helpful; but if you’d rather just talk, that would be fine too.