Linda first came to Baptist Temple in 1998, where her parents were now attending. The church had an average worship attendance of 450 at the time and Linda had trouble fitting in. She said, “Coming in new felt hard because there were cliques.”
She eventually found her place teaching children’s Sunday school and singing in the choir, but after several years, she moved away.
Upon returning to San Antonio, Linda found her way back to Baptist Temple where she was enthusiastically welcomed. She described the current atmosphere as more of a community than her earlier experience and greater than in the other churches she had visited. She felt especially embraced by Melissa Baxter and Karen Newman. She said, "I was welcomed back with open arms."
Wanting to serve God through her church, she once again sang in worship and started teaching Sunday school --this time to adult women. Karen was one of her mentors and led Linda through the “Multiply Movement” discipleship course. Another mentor is Melissa, with whom she co-teaches Sunday School.
Baptist Temple recently ordained Linda as a deacon, an office she has always held in high regard. She recalls the times the church has been without a pastor and the deacons provided stability. She named Robert Newman and Steve Grinnell as role models for their dedication and involvement in church activities.
She’s faced some tough times in her life but recognizes that her personal difficulties strengthened her ability to bless others. She feels that her experiences enable her to offer compassion and kindness to people in pain. Linda emphasizes that the essence of being a deacon is caring for people. Her commitment is to be present for others. “I've had people call me at three o'clock in the morning who couldn't go to sleep and they needed prayer. And it's like, fine, let's go, let's pray. It's being there when someone needs you,” she said.
No comments:
Post a Comment