Before (and After) the First Song Is Sung

Many associated with Restoration Church of Sanford have heard that, before the church was planted, a small group gathered in a diner to grow in the Lord and serve through a ministry called Pray for Sanford (PFS).

From my very first visit to PFS in July of 2021, I clearly experienced the beauty and power of God at work in this ministry—through the preaching, worship, fellowship, and the opportunity to serve openly broken souls. I still remember sitting in the back of that diner, drawn to these saints with a quiet but undeniable desire to go all in with them, even though I had no idea what that commitment would require.

About four to six weeks in, I learned that this small group was planting a church under the leadership of Pastor Arthur. I knew nothing about church planting, but I knew God was doing something that I didn’t want to miss..

That is—until I found out we would be meeting in a school.

I’d been down that road before. Twice. Jeff and I had served in churches that met in schools, and we had witnessed the burnout that often comes from weekly set-up and tear-down. Honestly, it was the only moment of pause I ever felt about committing to this church.

But praise be to God—that pause didn’t stop us from moving forward with His body at RCS.

Looking back now, our hesitation was unwarranted. What I once feared would lead to exhaustion and drudgery has actually been a source of sweet fellowship, growth, and shared unity for both Jeff and me.

You may wonder what this looked like, or what made it so special. The truth is that the experience has changed in many ways over these first four years together.

In the beginning, only a few faithfully showed up at 7:30 a.m. and stayed until about 1:30 p.m. every Lord’s Day. As the church has grown, set-up and tear-down responsibilities have shifted with expansion. Arrival and departure times have changed, and new faces have been added. Yet many from that original team have continued to engage in this worthy work for the Lord.

Throughout these changes, unity in friendship and fellowship has flourished. Through shared responsibility, hearts and hands have worked together toward a common purpose—doing what matters for the sake of the Kingdom of God.

I hope that, as you read this, your heart will be encouraged by some of the quiet blessings shared by those who show up early and/or stay late.

It is truly a sacred and humbling opportunity to serve in practical ways and to honor the Lord through faithful, unseen work. Whether putting out chairs, installing flags, setting up snacks, preparing rooms for RCS Kids, filling communion trays, or tending to countless other tasks, those who arrive as the service begins may never see the labor of love. They may never know the quiet joy experienced by the willing hands that prepared the house of worship.

Yet the Lord sees it all, and it is His joy that provides their strength for this service.

There is a particular joy in watching a cafeteria become a house of worship. The work itself may be temporary—chairs, tables, signs, snacks, and more are put out only to be taken down a few hours later. Yet those who serve in this way know the work is valuable, simply because it is done to engage people in something eternal.

When done for the Lord, with a heart of worship, even the most mundane tasks—like filling seatbacks with Connect Cards, arranging donated bread on a table, or placing cookies on a platter—can all be acts of worship and opportunities to love people, even before they arrive.

By 8:30 a.m., as the band begins to practice, the hearts of those who arrive early are further prepared for the gathering of the saints. As music fills the room with rich, truth-soaked lyrics, worship through song begins in the hearts of those still working with their hands. This beauty is especially evident on difficult mornings, when theology set to music has the power to lift weary or discouraged hearts with reminders of the Lord’s goodness and grace.

In all of this, the Lord has kindly shown us that faithfulness in small, unseen places is never wasted. Long before the room is filled and the gathering officially begins, He graciously works through the quiet service of those who have offered the simple sacrifice of showing up with willing spirits. His reward for their service in secret is to prepare their hearts to hear the Word, to strengthen the unity of His church as they labor together, and to strengthen them with His joy as He receives the faithful service of His people as worship offered in love.

If any of this stirs your soul, I hope you will take it as an invitation—to come early or to stay late, to serve simply, and to discover the joy of practical worship that begins long before the first song is sung and ends when the house of worship quietly returns to an elementary school cafeteria…until the next Lord’s Day.

It will be a sacrifice—but as we often say at Restoration Church of Sanford, God’s got it rigged. Like me, you may fear the exhaustion or drudgery of set-up or tear-down, but you just might discover the joy and reward that come with showing up and offering your time to the Lord as worship.

And you might find that what at first feels costly may quickly become a rich blessing, as you grow in unity and fellowship with your brothers and sisters while serving the Lord together—for His glory and your good, for all of eternity.