The big question is...           How can I serve Christ?   Because here at Buffalo Christian Church, we believe in service.   Why?                                                 Because God gave each and every one of us a talent for a reason!   Using your Talent to Serve Can you play the piano?            We have a wonderful                   (did I mention wonderful?)                             pianist here at Buffalo Christian Church, but sometimes we do need a fill-in.          And sometimes, she just needs a break!  Can you play?       What about the organ?          Would you be willing to share that gift on Sunday mornings?  Of course, you would!  God gave you the gift for a reason, didn't He!?   For those who are even MORE musically inclined, we're always looking for special music on Sundays.                         We'd be honored to give you the chance to give back that gift by performing before the congregation and more importantly, before God.   Are you a Baptized male?                 Then we would love for you to help up front on                             Sunday mornings! Can you sing?  Are you one of those who are blessed with the ability for beautiful music rather than just a "joyful noise"?  Then how about being a Song Leader? Or maybe you can read?  That's all you need to know how to do to read the Prayer Update list.  (Oh, that, and pray, but as Christians, that's what we do best!) And if you can read, you can do Call to Worship, too! Are you good at thinking up analogies and applying the Word of God?  Then how about giving the Communion Meditation, preparing the congregation to have the right attitude of the heart as we take the Lord's Supper?   Using your Talent with Electronics Are you one of those lucky people who can actually program their VCR, hook up their game equipment, and understand their computer? Then we need You!    Every Sunday we have a team of two, who agree to sit in the A/V room and keep our service running.  We need sound to our microphones.  We need to videotape the service.  We need someone to make sure the Powerpoint slides match the sermon.        If you're good with electronics (or just learn well) then we would love to have you help in our A/V room.  And don't worry!         We'll pair you up with someone experienced when you first start.  So you can forget those Saturday-night nightmares about ruining the service for the masses.  Won't happen!   Using your Talent with Babies        Every Sunday for both Sunday School and church, we need talented and patient men and women to agree to work in our nursery.         Having a place for parents to leave their infants and toddlers helps them to appreciate the service (because they're not dealing with squirming children), and it helps others to appreciate the service, too (because, let's admit it, babies are distracting).  They're so cute, soon we're watching them instead of the preacher!     And fear not, faithful volunteers, by agreeing to help out in the nursery, that doesn't mean you have to miss church!  We have a television hooked up in the nursery especially for you.  Just turn it on and watch the sermon in the auditorium as if you were actually there!                                How great is that!?       But what about our younger members?  Junior high and high school?  What if they love babies, too?  (Seriously, who doesn't?)  Well, they can help out.  We will never leave junior high or high school students unattended with the children, but we would love to pair them with responsible adults.  After all, what better way to learn to be great moms and dads?   Using your Talent with Money   Can you count?            Are you good with numbers?                          Then how about signing up to count offering           with the Treasurer after Sunday services?    We have an official team of Buffalo Christian Church                        Treasurers, but they need our help.   Using your Talent for Writing Do you like to write?  Are you good at it?  Every month Buffalo Christian Church puts out an official Newsletter, and we are always looking for people with article ideas.   Using your Talent for Preparation    Can you...um...well, actually, you know what?  There really aren't any qualifications for this assignment!  Hey, sounds like a good task for everyone, doesn't it?       Every week we need a person or couple to agree to prepare communion for Sunday.  We take the Lord's Supper EVERY First Day, just like the New Testament Church in the Bible, and we need people to help get it ready.  Then after the service, that same person or couple will need to pick up the cups from the pews and empty the trays and put them away.  So simple!  Yet so very necessary! Using your Talent for the Building Every month there are four sections of our church building that need cleaned: The Educational Wing (Top and Basement)  The Educational Wing (Main Level) The 1989 Addition The 2000 Auditorium   Using your Talent to make Others     feel Welcome Each Sunday we need people to agree to stand at the door to the auditorium and be Greeters.  What do Greeters do?           It's easy!                   If you can Smile (we know you can), give a friendly "Hello" (it's only two syllables), and hand out bulletins as people come in, you can be a Greeter!                          That's all there is to it!      It's so simple, yet so important.  A Smile and a friendly "Hello" go a long way to make others feel Welcome, and at Buffalo Christian Church, we want you to feel Welcome!   Using your Talent to Teach Do you like kids?       Are you good with crafts?               Do you just plain like being goofy and having fun?                             Then have we got a job for you!  Every single Sunday, we need people who are willing to step up and lead the future.  Sound important?  It is!  Without Sunday School teachers, where would we be?  Well, we would be raising the future of our church without a firm foundation or a love for Jesus Christ!           Scary, huh? That's why we need you                                           to make a difference in the lives of our                 Children!   We also need WNS teachers, and people willing to fill in should one of our teachers get sick.  We have our teacher slots filled for this year, but what about the next?  This summer we're going to be asking once again for people to volunteer.  Don't miss the chance to serve God!   Using your Talent to Visit Unfortunately, not everyone can get out of the house.    Due to illness, the inability to drive, or dangerous weather conditions, sometimes, people have to miss church.             And miss the chance to have company!                                                            You can help!   Volunteer to take a communion packet...               ...some love...                       ...a copy of the sermon...                                       ...and be a friend! There's a reason the Bible talks more about LOVE than it does any other topic.  It's because LOVE is God.  God is LOVE.  And we are to imitate Him!   Using your Talent to be Creative  We are ALWAYS looking for new ways to reach out to our community and our schools to draw people to Christ.  Do you have an idea?  Put that Creativity to good use, and fill out the questionnaire on our "Suggestion Box" link.  It will be sent directly to us at Buffalo Christian Church.  Or, you can write out your suggestion on paper and drop it in the Suggestion Box in the auditorium foyer.  That's it!   Using your Talent if you're a lady       Are you a lady?               Then how about joining our S.O.S. team?       We meet the second Monday of every month to plan how we, as ladies, can best serve God.                    Maybe we can't serve up front on Sunday mornings during the service, but there are so many things we can do!                                        And don't think just because you're a lady, you can't be just as valuable.             After all, in Acts, we read about a powerful husband and wife team: a Jew named Aquila and his wife Priscilla.  But notice!         When Paul writes of the dynamic duo in Acts 18:18 & 26, both times he mentions Priscilla first!  She was no slough-off Christian, that's for sure!   Follow our S.O.S. link right here, and help with the mission of service.     No matter who you are or what your talents are, there's a place for you here at Buffalo Christian Church.      Read Matthew 25:14-30, the parable of the talents, and think of it in terms of the English word "talent," which means "natural ability."  What talents has God given you?  How can you use them?        Will you be enthusiastic like the first slave, who immediately went out and doubled his profits?   (We promise you, when you devote yourself to a life of service, the spiritual return is incredible!)    Or do you think you're more like the third slave, who didn't even bother to put the money in the bank, where it could at least draw interest?  What was his return?  Well, nothing but misery.                      But that's okay because we here at Buffalo don't think you're third-slave material.  Don't bury your talents.  Use them for the glory of God!