I haven’t written about family members in a long time now, but this little occasion just triggered my thinking.  So, if you’ll indulge my grandmotherly meanderings, here we go.

The youngest of our three granddaughters is currently a student at Gonzaga university in Spokane, Washington.  Yes, that’s a long way from FL.  Her life at Gonzaga revolves around the women’s rowing team and this opportunity to pursue her favorite sport.   I’ve tried (unsuccessfully) to keep up with the jargon, but fortunately she’s patient with dear old Gram and explains yet again when I get confused.

One thing I have learned is that the rowers in a boat each have a specific role.  Starting at the bow of the boat, you often have the smallest rowers with the most technical ability.  They’re responsible for the boat’s stability.  The middle positions go to the powerhouse rowers.  Their job is to row as hard as possible.  At the stern (facing the coxswain) is the stroke position, usually the most competitive rower who sets the rhythm and rate for everyone else to follow.  Always, all eight (or four) must row with perfect coordination.  The smoothest and fastest technique results when the coach uses every rower’s strength to the team’s advantage.

Our congregational family or team may work somewhat the same.  We need members with the most “technical” ability to guide the course, whether their skills are in music, building, planning, or any of the many aspects of church life.  Their knowledge and skill will keep us stable.  Then we need the power-house rowers, the ones who put their hands and backs to the grindstone.  They cook, clean, paint, build, garden, visit, call . . . do the work to get the job done.  And finally, there’s the stroke position, the one who sees opportunities and uses their enthusiasm to inspire the whole team to greater things.

Can you see yourself in that boat?  It doesn’t matter which position; it only matters that we each do our part with the best of our God-given ability.  He’s the best coach of all and he has a place for each of us.

Judy