By Matt DeBall, Coordinator of Mission Advancement Communications
 
“Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to the brim.” ~ John 2:7

Some celebrations are remembered for years to come. Perhaps you fondly remember a birthday party, an anniversary celebration, or a wedding that had a great atmosphere and was a wonderful time with friends and family.

The wedding at Cana in Galilee must have been amazing—because we’re still talking about it after two millennia. Though there was a hiccup when the wine ran out, Jesus, with the encouragement of this attentive mother, helped avoid a crisis. In the Gospel of John, the event marks the first miracle of Jesus, a sign of God’s reign through his ministry, and, surely, a blessed celebration for all those who attended.

In addition to the miracle of turning water into wine, what is interesting is who Jesus invited to be the heroes and heroines of the day:  those who were serving at the wedding. Throughout his ministry, Jesus regularly elevated the lowly, and his first miracle was no exception. By faith, the waitstaff in Cana filled six large washing jars with water (no less than 120 gallons or 1,000 pounds of water, if we do the math) and waited with expectation of what Jesus would do.

Even today, Jesus continues to call people of humble positions to take action by faith and see how God will work. As the body of Christ, we are invited to imagine and reimagine the jars Jesus is calling us to attend to—old forms to fill with new faith for a fruitful future. We likely won’t see water turned into wine, but surely the Lord will bless us and others when we take action for his purposes.

In these first couple months of the year, the staff and volunteers of the Church of the Brethren are revisiting the jars of ministry in their care and trusting that the Lord will make great things happen. Volunteers are being trained to serve like Jesus in a new (to them) neighborhood. Event coordinators and conversation hosts are preparing for meaningful occasions of education, fellowship, refreshment, and worship. We are also grateful for you, as a supporter of and partner in these and many other endeavors, and the ways you are planning to pray, give, and serve as we move forward in faith together.

As the work of Jesus continues among us in 2022, may it be a blessed time of celebration that we remember for many years to come.

Learn more about the ministries of the Church of the Brethren at www.brethren.org/greatthings or support its work today at www.brethren.org/give.

(Read this issue of eBrethren.)