"[The Lord] works on us in all sorts of ways. But above all, He works on us through each other. Men are mirrors, or "carriers" of Christ to other men. Usually it is those who know Him that bring Him to others. That is why the Church, the whole body of Christians showing Him to one another, is so important. It is so easy to think that the Church has a lot of different objects -- education, building, missions, holding services… The Church exists for no other purpose but to draw men into Christ, to make them little christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose. It is even doubtful, you know, whether the whole universe was created for any other reason."
-- C.S. Lewis
The St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral Ministry Teams
Building
A Ministry Team
Why have teams? Why
not let Fr. Paul identify projects, call volunteers and do things that
way? Well, when people work in teams the sum of the parts is greater than
the whole. Teams are much more effective than individual efforts. What
one person does poorly another does well, and vice versa. Although
they require greater patience and sometimes seem slower than individual
effort, teams are incredibly satisfying. Interdependent relationships
are much deeper and richer than simply independent ones.
Teams are a necessity when it comes to the
more complex ministry projects. When we are working together, we all have
to understand the common vision. Our vision is fourfold: Community, Ministry,
Service and Witness.
Effective Teams: Each person thinks in terms of inputs, not outcomes. Instead of "What's in it for me?" we think, "What do I add to this work." That's where the real satisfaction is found. Good teams come from good will and good ideas. Teams make good use of our varying personal strengths. People can pass the ball once in a while, trading back and forth on each other's talents and abilities instead of each having to do it all every time. Effective teams bring out new alternatives in either/or situations. To cite a well-known team-building expert, Roger Merrill, "When people know that they are contributing to something bigger than themselves and that their contributions are invaluable to the project, they become committed to finding workable solutions, and the result is an interdependent synergy that produces exceptional results." That's business-speak for "many hands make light work." May God establish the work of our teams to His eternal Glory!
The St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral Ministry Teams
