When I moved from rural Kansas to Los Angeles many years ago, I was overwhelmed, lost, lonely. It was, I think, the Holy Spirit that led me to look up churches in that monster of a phone book. I went to the nearest United Methodist Church that Sunday, and the people were so welcoming and healing, that I went back on Monday and asked, “Do you have something I can do?” The education director looked at me, a bewildered stranger, and said, “Vacation Bible School is next week. I’m sure we have work you can do.” On Monday I was helping make sandwiches. On Tuesday I was leading the lunch prep. On Wednesday the director asked me to help a teacher with a class. By Friday I was teaching the class. I was no longer lost and lonely.
A few years later, I met a man named Jack, who was also lost, even though he and his family were attending the church I was working in. We had talked, and I was impressed with his biblical knowledge and his spirit. I asked him if he might try teaching an older elementary Sunday school class.