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 How
would you describe your ministry?
My ministry at Grace involves managing the fi nances of the church,
including compilation of financial reports, overseeing contributions,
managing payroll, accounts payable, and cash transactions of the
church.
What inspired you to take on this responsibility?
Accounting is my profession and I love it. When the first office
manager of Grace decided that she needed some assistance back in
1998, Dave told me about the position and I began part time in March
of that year. As we began to grow as a church so did the job --
so I started full time in 2001.
What is there about it that gets your motor
running?
Even though most numbers people really don’t enjoy the people
part of their job I really do. Part of my job involves dealing with
the ministry leaders and volunteers. This is an avenue for me to
connect to people in all areas of our church. I also have the privilege
of interacting with people when they need mercy ministry assistance.
It continues to amaze me how God provides for us in this area.
What person has had the most infl uence on
your life?
My dear friend Amy. I believe that God put her in my life about
three years ago to help teach me more about Him and about who I
am in Him. She has a relationship with Jesus that is unlike any
other woman I have known. She is gifted with a spiritual awareness
that is rare. God used her gifts to show me how my identity determines
how I think and act. Did I really understand what my identity in
God was? That I am co-heirs with Jesus? That if I really get who
I am then it will affect all relationships in my life?
What do you do to unwind and de-stress?
I enjoy knitting and I am also beginning to do some scrapbooking,
especially for my two wonderful grandchildren. I remember one time
when Colin Thornley had lost two paychecks in one week, among other
forms that he was to turn in to me and couldn’t fi nd. That
week I knitted two blankets. I felt so much more at peace after
that. Colin says I love forms.
How did you find your way to Grace Church?
I first came in 1992 after hearing that it was different. On our
first visit there was this woman in white fl owing garments doing
an interpretative dance in the aisle -- right beside where I was
sitting. That did it for me. I was never coming back. I thought
this church was whacky. But as usual God had another plan. After
a couple years of visiting other churches I still didn’t feel
like I had found a home so I decided I would give Grace one more
try and maybe they had learned more by this time. We came back to
visit in 1994 and the church had grown a lot! I still sat near the
exit in case there was another crazy woman in white fl owing clothing
who started up again. This time Dave’s message was about a
grace and a freedom I had never heard about. Something clicked then.
I remember thinking, this is it -- this is what I have always thought
made sense about God and his grace but I was never taught that way
in my legalistic background. Dave’s teaching was like a breath
of fresh air. I had to keep coming back so I could continue to learn.
I have been here at Grace ever since and I love the interpretative
dances now. What a beautiful way to worship!
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