Introduction

» Opportunities for Service » Introduction

At St Andrew's we believe that we are called to be Strong to Serve. We employ a part-time community worker, Linda McDonald, as part of our commitment to become more engaged with our local community.

In one sense, everything that we do at St Andrew's is "community work", as we seek to minister to each other and to those around us. We already provide a variety of resources (e.g. our halls and meeting rooms) and groups (e.g. Friends' Club) within our local community, in addition to the worship, teaching and pastoral activities of the church. Many members of St Andrew's are already active in a wide variety of community work in and beyond Arbroath. So, why do we have a "community worker" as part of the ministry team at St Andrew's?

The answer lies in our commitment to becoming more intentional about what we do, in all areas of our church life. We will continue to respond to situations and needs when they arise, but we also want to become more proactive in community action:

1. discovering the needs of our community
2. building partnerships with individuals and organisations who are already working to meet those needs
3. becoming more aware of the human and other resources we have within our congregation
4. offering St Andrew's members new opportunities to serve their neighbours.

This section of our website is part of our strategy to put into place point 4 above - publicising a range of opportunities for service. These opportunities are also highlighted during a monthly "spot" in the Sunday morning worship service, and in our monthly magazine, Quest.

There are two important points to keep in mind as you consider each of these opportunities for service:

• Don't let modesty or shyness prevent you from responding! Whatever you have to offer is a gift from God to you in the first place; don't dishonour Him by discounting it.
• Don't feel that by responding, you are locking yourself into a service for life; circumstances change, and everyone understands that. Anything you offer, whatever the amount or period of time, can make a difference.