Answering the Call
Margaret Broersma (as told by Carol Todd)
When Bruce and Carol Todd heard Pastor Arek’s sermon on service and listened to the many opportunities he presented, they realized they could do more in our church community to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Sure, they are regular attenders. Sure, Carol made treats for Hilltoppers and never missed Anchored, and usually hosted a table. She also opened her home and hosted Table Fellowship for 6 to 8 women over the summer, with food, coffee, and conversation. Bruce went golfing with the men and always helped and supported Carol in her service. But during this sermon, they realized that those things mostly involved receiving rather than giving.
One way in which Arek said people could help is to cook meals for the youth groups that meet on Sunday nights twice a month. Well, Carol loves to cook, so she thought, “We can do that.” But what a challenge that turned out to be! Cooking for youth night involves cooking for the middle school and high school youth programs, and all the leaders and helpers. Even though cooking for 100 seemed a bit daunting, she figured she would catch on. The original plan was for various small groups to take a week, but Kirk Kingsley (fearless leader of youth) still had 5 open weeks in the year. Carol said she would take them all. She knew she would help to pull it off, but unfortunately, most people she asked said no.
Then she was inspired to ask some women she knew from Hilltoppers. After hearing so many “nos,” three older women suddenly answered the call for service and said “yes.” They would help Bruce serve the food Carol cooked, and be the ones who ran back and forth to the kitchen. A friend who had previously said no called back and offered to help with Taco Night by chopping all the onions and providing garlic bread for Rigatoni Night. Theresa Doyle helped with all four meals with prep and serving. She went the extra mile whenever Carol called her 2 hous before service - she always said. “How can I help? Need me to come now?” With a giving heart, you can bless others so much more than you even know.
Next is where the Lord really designed the rest. Kirk was approached by a care circle to take a Sunday. He asked if Carol would be open to giving up one of her Sundays. God is so faithful; He gives us opportunities to step in and reduce the load on others’ shoulders. He knew Carol was stretched pretty thin herself. So that meal was taken off her list. When it came time for the first dinner, Carol had been sick and recovered; however, Bruce was now sick. To ease into the first night, which was sub sandwiches, they had it catered by Subway. Taco Night and Rigatoni Night went just fine as she could cook most of the food ahead, but then it was time for her “breakfast for dinner night.” Now that she had a few weeks’ experience, she realized she didn’t know how she was going to cook eggs, bacon, and hash brown planks all at the same time for so many. When she experimented at home in cooking eggs ahead of time, they turned a funny gray color after an hour. She was really worried. Carol asked the Lord for help and wisdom in this endeavor, and He answered.
Before her last youth group meal, she went to “Anchored,” and what should they be having - breakfast for inner! So she became acquainted with Stephanie Pollema, the cook for that meal. Carol asked for help. Not only did Stephanie explain how she cooked a massive number of scrambled eggs, bacon, and hash browns - Stephanie had exactly the right amount of bacon leftover and told Carol to use that and add two dozen more eggs with her unused eggs as well. If that was not blessing enough, a tremendous blessing came next when Stephanei said, “I am available if you would like me to come and cook with you.” Carol could not say, “Yes, please,” fast enough. And so, the “breakfast for dinner” youth group night for 100 people went off without a hitch. Carol didn’t have to panic, because now she knew what to do. And all the weeks of youth group food service were covered.
In addition to cooking for the youth ministry, the Todds responded to Arek’s call to service once again by joining Tina Willis’ team to visit residents at the Commonwealth nursing home on 68th Street. They play Uno with the residents there on one Saturday morning a month. Lots of fun relationships have grown, not just with the residents but also closer relationships with other members of Hillside. They are having so much fun, it almost seems wrong to consider their time at Commonwealth as service.
Have you been afraid of doing too much service? Ask the Todds to tell you how God provided all they would need to branch out and serve Him in many more ways than they ever thought they could imagine. He gave wisdom, strength, and provision, and gave them all the help they needed from the most unexpected places.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. - Colossians 3:23