When we travel across America on furlough and I find myself deeply moved at things others hardly notice.

In Casper, Wyoming a deacon hurries to vacate a table so we can set up our display. He’s trying not to annoy us. I am touched. This deacon drives to church every Sunday, early, ahead of his family, to fold bulletins and add inserts so the pastor doesn’t have to.

In Kalispell, MT I stumble upon the lady who has kept the church financial records for 25 years. She even keeps track of the small change the children put in the offering year by year. (“They tithe too. They need to be acknowledged.”)

In Sheldon, Iowa a small church has a rotating schedule of pianists and organists. Many musicians play special numbers for services, sometimes more than one special per service.

Two different churches maintain mission houses all year long, year after year, which we can use on furlough. Our short furloughs make it impossible to rent, but living by ourselves for short stretches helps us keep our sanity.

In every church we find people who mow the lawn, watch the nursery, count the offering, prepare dishes for pot-lucks, scrub toilets, type bulletins, play the piano, direct programs, teach Sunday School, and do a thousand other small jobs around the church. Deacons, trustees, secretaries, treasurers, clerks, hospitality committees, and other volunteers. Yes, a pastor and his wife can and do fill some of these positions. No pastor should be too important to scrub a toilet. But if you have people to help with these tasks in your church, thank God for them. You are rich. So many missionaries would love a fraction of the help you have every week.  In our mission church we have a small corps of people who faithfully help us. We are so thankful for them. But I am so touched when I see the wide variety of small jobs filled by people in the average church.

Take time to thank God for the workers in your church. While you’re at it, why not thank them for all they do?