What's My Story...Lois Jones

JOY OF USING SPRITUAL GIFTS

A Testimony by Lois M. Jones

It’s been a privilege over the last 30 years to serve the Lord in many capacities at Orange Friends Church. God gives us all Spiritual Gifts and we are blessed when we can serve in those areas of giftedness. Romans 12:4,5  “For  just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.”  No gift is more important than another, just different.

My gifts are Administration, Leadership,  Hospitality and Mercy. During the past few years, I served on the Nominating Committee. Our job was to listen to the Lord’s leading to help people serve in their areas of giftedness.

Ways God has allowed me to use His gifts recently:

          1.  Bob and I serve as Membership Chairmen; this gives us the privilege of getting to know new people and helping them find ways to serve at OFC.

          2.  Working with Faithful Followers, a small group for those in the Golden Years, allows us to encourage the attenders in later stages of life.

          3.  Working with the CARE ministry with Jean Macy through visits, phone calls, and service to elderly and shut-ins, allows us to act out James 1:27 “This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father to visit orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” 

          4.   The gift of Hospitality allows us to host Small Groups and meetings at our house, including the Kamwesa Home Group.

          5.  Because of the gifts of Hospitality and Mercy several people have let us borrow their children. Bob and I have been called ‘Gram and Grump’ by many children and teenagers.

          6.  The ultimate blessing of the use of  Spiritual Gifts by the entire church was in April  2010, when  a Silent Auction raised funds to buy ‘Florobel’, a van to be used by our members, the Fingerhuts, to transport their handicapped son.  The name ‘Florobel’ was chosen to honor another member, who proposed the fundraiser.  I had the honor of being God’s Assistant Chairman in this endeavor.

My prayer is God will give us many more years to serve Him by using our gifts through his people at OFC.

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