When you enter our church's Welcome Center on a Tuesday, the first person you meet is either Shirley or Mike Hughes. The sign on the counter says, Director of First Impressions. That title couldn’t be more appropriate for them both. Shirley, with her warm, welcoming, and helpful personality, has been a director for 20 years. Two years ago, Mike decided he would like to have the same opportunity to give of his time to our church. They have shared the hours of the day ever since.
Mike and Shirley moved to RB in 1992. After visiting a few churches, they felt the Holy Spirit led them to RB Community. They found our church to be a genuine and loving church community where they could continue their spiritual growth and become part of a church family. They have been members for over 30 years and have taken advantage of the many volunteer opportunities.
Mike said that the spiritual aspects of volunteering include deepening his relationship with God, growing in spiritual maturity, putting his faith into action, and strengthening fellowship with others. He was on the Pastor Nominating Committee that brought us Jason, and is currently a Stephen Minister. He has been a Deacon, a Elder, and a member of the Mission Study Team. God has placed on his heart the desire to use his talents and spiritual gifts, which leads to a deeper sense of purpose. He sees his contributions as part of a larger mission that can positively impact the lives of others, bringing more people to church and hopefully to God.
Mike retired as Executive Vice President of HM Electronics, a communications manufacturing company. Now he is on the Communications Committee and continues in another aspect of communications. He writes press releases each week for our local papers and social media, keeping our local community aware of all our RB Community Sunday services and outreach activities, and inviting them to participate.
Shirley agreed that volunteering helps her to deepen her relationship with God, who has called her to serve Him by serving others. She tells of God’s grace in her life that brought her and Mike together. She was a working single mom and prayed that God would bring her help. A few months later, Mike, who was also single, moved into the house next door. For a year, they waved to each other, coming and going, until finally one day Mike smelled food and invited himself over to Shirley’s for a barbecue. That was the beginning of their lives together and the answer to Shirley’s prayer. They have been married for 44 years and have blended families, including great-grandchildren and grandchildren. Doesn’t God work in wonderful ways?
Shirley retired from San Diego City Schools in 2002 after 25 years as a classified employee in various clerical positions. Her meticulous work and helpful ways were, no doubt, indispensable as they are at our Welcome Center.
She is a former Stephen Minister and is currently the Coordinator of the Prayer Shawl and Prayer Request Ministries. Prayer requests are given to Shirley, who submits them confidentially to the 25 Prayer Chain volunteers who pray for each person and concern. The Prayer Shawl Ministry is a group of caring women who give their time and talent in the creation of hand-knit and crochet shawls for a wide variety of recipients. Each shawl is prayerfully made to bring physical and spiritual comfort to whoever may need to know they are cared for and loved. Shirley described the importance of these shawls to the recipients and told of a woman she visited in the hospital the day of her death. That person had requested to be covered with her shawl as she died.
The depth of Mike’s and Shirley’s faith is clear in the stories they tell about volunteering. As Shirley said, “Volunteering is where I meet God in giving my time”.