A Call for ServiceA Call for Service

St. Mary & St. Mina Coptic Orthodox St. Mary & St. Mina Coptic Orthodox ChurchChurch

Youth MeetingYouth Meeting

What is Christian serviceWhat is Christian service

• The essence of service is a heart full of love toward The essence of service is a heart full of love toward God – a heart who tasted how good the Lord is, and God – a heart who tasted how good the Lord is, and would like to inform everyone about thiswould like to inform everyone about this

• Service is not bound to a specific place or time. Service is not bound to a specific place or time. Instead, it works everywhere at all timesInstead, it works everywhere at all times

• The bible teaches us that “It is more blessed to give The bible teaches us that “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35)than to receive” (Acts 20:35)

What is Christian ServiceWhat is Christian Service

• True joy comes from sharing what I True joy comes from sharing what I have with others – not keeping what I have with others – not keeping what I have for myselfhave for myself

• When the heart is on fire with the When the heart is on fire with the love of God, that heart cannot stop to love of God, that heart cannot stop to tell people about what he has within tell people about what he has within himhim

What is Christian ServiceWhat is Christian Service

• 3131 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holythe holy[[a]] angels with Him, then He will sit on the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. throne of His glory. 3232 All the nations will be All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides one from another, as a shepherd divides hishis sheep sheep from the goats. from the goats. 3333 And He will set the sheep on His And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. right hand, but the goats on the left. 3434 Then the Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for you from the foundation of the world:

What is Christian ServiceWhat is Christian Service

• 3535 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; Me in; 3636 I I waswas naked and you clothed Me; I was sick naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Me.’ 3737 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You,You, or or thirsty and give thirsty and give YouYou drink? drink? 3838 When did we see You a When did we see You a stranger and take stranger and take YouYou in, or naked and clothe in, or naked and clothe You?You? 3939 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ You?’ 4040 And the King will answer and say to them, And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did itit to one to one of the least of these My brethren, you did of the least of these My brethren, you did itit to Me.’ to Me.’

What is Christian ServiceWhat is Christian Service• True service does not pay attention to True service does not pay attention to

challenges and difficultieschallenges and difficulties

• ““2222 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, knowing the things that will happen to me there, 2323 except that except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. tribulations await me. 2424 But none of these things move me; nor But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself,do I count my life dear to myself,[[a]] so that I may finish my race so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

The blessings of serviceThe blessings of service

• A servant is calling people to get reconciled A servant is calling people to get reconciled with Godwith God

• A servant is a fellow worker with GodA servant is a fellow worker with God– ““99 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are For we are God’s fellow workers; you are

God’s field, God’s field, you areyou are God’s building.” (1 Cor 3:9) God’s building.” (1 Cor 3:9)

• In service, we become like Christ who came In service, we become like Christ who came to serve not to be servedto serve not to be served

The blessings of ServiceThe blessings of Service

• 2626 If anyone serves Me, let him follow If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him Me, him MyMy Father will honor.” (John Father will honor.” (John 12:26)12:26)

Who is called for service ? Who is called for service ?

• We all are !!! Our Lord Jesus Christ saidWe all are !!! Our Lord Jesus Christ said– ““3737 Then He said to His disciples, “The Then He said to His disciples, “The

harvest truly harvest truly isis plentiful, but the laborers plentiful, but the laborers areare few. few. 3838 Therefore pray the Lord of the Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matt 9:37-38)harvest.” (Matt 9:37-38)

• We are all called to imitate Christ, and We are all called to imitate Christ, and Christ came to serve, not to be servedChrist came to serve, not to be served

Who is called for serviceWho is called for service

• The greatest of all Christians virtues The greatest of all Christians virtues is charity or love, and service is the is charity or love, and service is the way to express such loveway to express such love

• God bestowed on each one of us God bestowed on each one of us certain gifts and skills, and His certain gifts and skills, and His intention is for us to use these skills intention is for us to use these skills to serve othersto serve others

Who is called for serviceWho is called for service

• ““There are diversities of gifts, but the There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. same Spirit. 55 There are differences There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. of ministries, but the same Lord. 66 And there are diversities of activities, And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all but it is the same God who works all in all. in all. 77 But the manifestation of the But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the Spirit is given to each one for the profit profit of all:of all: “ (1 Corinthians 12: 4-8) “ (1 Corinthians 12: 4-8)

Who is a servant ?Who is a servant ?

• A person who has experienced the beauty of A person who has experienced the beauty of the Lord and the joy of the Christian life, and the Lord and the joy of the Christian life, and wants everyone else to share in his/her joywants everyone else to share in his/her joy

• A person who LOVES God, and through God A person who LOVES God, and through God loves everyone elseloves everyone else

• A person who is full of holy zeal, and cannot A person who is full of holy zeal, and cannot sleep until he has found a place for the Lord sleep until he has found a place for the Lord in the hearts of the peoplein the hearts of the people

Who is a servant?Who is a servant?

• A person who wants to make his A person who wants to make his Heavenly father happy !Heavenly father happy !

• A person who feels responsibility A person who feels responsibility toward the salvation of people toward the salvation of people around him/heraround him/her

Sources of Strength in Sources of Strength in ServiceService

• PrayerPrayer– The power of prayer in the life of the church The power of prayer in the life of the church

in modern timesin modern times

• Faith and trust in the LordFaith and trust in the Lord– The example of St. MarkThe example of St. Mark

• LoveLove– ““1616 By this we know love, because He laid By this we know love, because He laid

down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down down ourour lives for the brethren. (1 John lives for the brethren. (1 John 3:16)3:16)

Examples of ServiceExamples of Service

• Three Ideas:Three Ideas:– MagazineMagazine– Campus MinistryCampus Ministry– FTFTFTFT

MagazineMagazine

• Title and logoTitle and logo

• TopicsTopics

• Graphical DesignGraphical Design

UB Campus MinistryUB Campus Ministry

• Serve Coptic studentsServe Coptic students

• Raise awarenessRaise awareness

• Work with other fellow Christian Work with other fellow Christian organizationsorganizations

• Bible study and prayer meetingsBible study and prayer meetings

• Lectures, exhibits, trips, sports,Lectures, exhibits, trips, sports,

• Liturgies on UB campusLiturgies on UB campus

FTFTFTFT

• John Shenouda and David AyadJohn Shenouda and David Ayad

• Examples of serviceExamples of service– Visitations of sick and elderlyVisitations of sick and elderly– Service of the poor and neglectedService of the poor and neglected

• How can we get organized?How can we get organized?