I’m going to attempt a sports analogy here, which admittedly doesn’t usually end well. I like NASCAR…and well that’s about it as far as sports goes…and yeah I know most of you think that ISN’T a sport. :-) However, I want to address something that you may be wondering, so bear with me on the whole sports analogy thing.
Some of you are probably wonder: “Why does actionchurch go so “Relay Crazy” in late Late May and June every year? Why spend so much money at an event that isn’t even a “church” event? Why spend so much time and effort trying to motivate people to volunteer at an event that raises money for another charity? Generally actionchurch is pretty “laid back”…we don’t even take up an offering…Why do we expend so much energy trying to get people to participate and give to THIS event. Why is it so important? What’s in it for actionchurch?
Here’s why we do what we do. Serving at Relay for Life is important because it allows the largest number of actionchurch folks to “Take the field” and live out what it means to Love God, Love People, and Take action. On Sundays we gather for a locker-room talk (minus the towel snapping and half-dressed dudes). Events like Relay allow us to actually “take the field” and do what we talk about on Sunday. (And yeah…I know…we are actually taking to a field. Clever, huh?) actiongroups and other serving events are year round opportunities to “play,” but only Relay is large enough that EVERY SINGLE PERSON at actionchurch can take the field together. NO ONE has to set on the bench. NO ONE gets picked last (like I did for baseball as a kid…and see I’m still a little bitter about it). EVERYONE can be a “starter”. EVERYONE can experience what if feels like to be on the team.
That’s why Relay for Life (June 21st-22nd) is so important at actionchurch. It’s why we go a little crazy this time of year. We KNOW that you will be changed in a positive way as we have…if only you’ll jump in the game. For the next ten days we are going to do everything possible to make sure as many people as possible take the field!