We come now to the “last official weekend of the summer,” as we have often termed it. We often think of summer lasting from Memorial Day to Labor Day, though we know that the school year no longer follows that schedule.

Still, Labor Day marks for us a time when certain things are changing. Many theme parks are now closed for the week. Some pools are closing. And, dearest to my heart, baseball season is winding down.

As a pastor, I am fully aware of what is often called the “summer slump.” What that means is that vacations and other activities of the summer often crowd out church attendance during the months of June, July and August. Some church’s shut down certain programs for that time and get back at it after Labor Day.

I am writing today to encourage you to evaluate your own faithfulness to the body of Christ to which you belong. I take for granted that every Christian ought to be a church member. I know that many are disappointed with the church, and I fully understand why. Churches, Christians and pastors do disappoint us. That’s what happens when sinful human beings are involved.

I take for granted that the church still matters. There are no perfect churches, but there are no perfect people either. And so we need each other. Christians need churches to help them grow and mature as followers of Jesus. And churches need Christians to help them minister in Jesus’ name.

I don’t know all of the readers of this column. But if you are a Christian, I would like for you to explore this question: If every member of my church served to the level that I serve, how healthy would my church be? If the answer to that question is a concern, make the commitment to serve the Lord more carefully in the ministry of your church this year.

The end of the summer marks a good time for you to begin this work. Many churches operate on a “church year” that starts over in the fall. But even if that is not the case, you can find a place to serve the Lord in your church now. I know your pastor would love to hear from you. Encourage him and bless your church by finding your place of service today.