What Service Means to Me
by Emeka Elechi
Emeka received the Minister of the Year Award at MSIA’s 2016 Conference
First, let me start by expressing my gratitude to J-R for his love and blessings. I was ordained on September 9,1986, when J-R visited Nigeria. He charged us to go and do good works.
Service is the highest level of consciousness. As a minister in the church of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness, l know l have to be a facilitator of good works. I am also guided by my spiritual blessing which states, “As your essence is one of gentleness so shall your ministry be. This gentleness should take the form of an outreach. As you reach out in your gentle secure way you will create a safe space for those who are doubtful of the higher calling.”
Service to me becomes standing as a facilitator and creating a safe space for me and people around me. And taking care of myself and others. I keep reminding myself of the admonition of Jesus the Christ. He said “If you do it to the least of these you did it to me.” I am now resolved that my actions must produce loving, joy and caring. I have been steadfast.
My initial experience was judgmental. Then I started asking myself, “Am l doing it to the least one? Is my action producing joy and happiness? Are people happy to be with me?” These questions produced the loving that opened my heart. I became more loving, caring and ordinary—ordinary because l discovered that l was not doing it but that greater one inside was doing the serving. I was just making myself available. Being grounded in the Traveler’s teachings also was an added advantage. Example: Don’t hurt yourself and don’t others. Take care of yourself so you can help take care of others. This is like armor for a good minister. I was always making myself available. With time l found out that l was making myself available for Spirit to do the work. The work is anything that is heartfelt, experiential or can be valuable for others.
The most important thing l will emphasize here is that loving is the key. Our ego or personality have little or no role to play serving others. The great ministry starts with getting the Traveler’s teachings grounded in us, because all we do as ministers in the church of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness is predicated on the teachings. Be an example. Be loving. Be caring. Be there for yourself and others.
Notice that l did not talk about what and how l ministered to earn the precious award : Minister of Year 2016. Since September 1986, when l had my ordination as a minister in the presence of J-R, l have remained steadfast. Even in times of financial difficulties, when l had to borrow to be able to remain active as a minister and a facilitator for the action of Spirit, I held my home soul awareness seminars even when nobody was there. I go to homes of students who don’t have money to travel to do their initiations. I am always happy because l know that Spirit is committed to me and l am committed to It. So it is not, “see what l have done,” it is “see what Spirit has done.”
I give Glory to God Almighty and to the Traveler for giving me the opportunity to be of service and a facilitator for Spirit.
I love you all. God bless you.
God bless John Morton.
God bless John-Roger.
God bless the Church of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness.
Long ago in your land the Traveler planted a seed.
Many stepped forward to say they would tend it so that it would grow.
Then the winds of karma blew and some people became distracted by worldly things.
Yet you remained faithful and true to the Traveler’s vision, quietly nurturing what he had planted and helping it grow into a stately tree.
We call you forward today, in this 30th anniversary year of your ordination, to honor your steadfastness, devotion and integrity, and so all may recognize you, our Minister Of the Year Rev. Emeka Elechi.
Baruch Bashan
Ministerial Services in Action Conference of the Sound Current, July 3, 2016.
Read the complete NDH September / October 2016 Edition via ISSUU
