Reflections on a Week of Ministry || Texas Baptists

Reflections on a Week of Ministry

April 9th, 2012 at 12:30 pm

Almost three years after I retired as a ministry assistant at my church, I received a Macedonian call to journey to Massachusetts to organize the office of the interim director of missions for the Massachusetts Baptist Association (MBA) located in Northborough.

My husband and I discussed the probability and prayed about it. We both felt that God still wanted to use my skills for His kingdom’s work. So I agreed to accept the task.

I contacted some of my fellow ministry assistants in associational offices and asked for forms and other materials used in their offices. They willingly obliged, and all of these were most helpful.

I arrived in Rhode Island on the first day of March, 2008, and snow was on the ground—10- to 12-inches deep. The MBA office is located in the basement of the Baptist Convention of New England (BCNE). I lived in the Rice House, which is on the same property and walked to and from the office each day—8:30 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. The house is named after Luther Rice, the missionary.

There had never been an office outside the home of the director of missions for this association. There were boxes to unpack, organize, and place in file folders and cabinets. I also created files in his computer for many of the articles, forms, reports, and documents.

I started a newsletter for him for the churches in his Association. There are total of 32 churches spread over a very large, wide area. This was something I could continue to do from my home after I returned. It was developed as a time-saver for him and helped to connect the churches, showing what each was doing and gave them knowledge about work in the other churches.

There are many, various needs in the New England area. Whatever your skills are, they can be utilized.

Nell Collins