A Temple Volunteer’s Psalm
June 28, 2012 
1 Comment
by Rabbi Larry Karol
Eternal One, Creator and Sustainer of all life,
help me to serve my congregation
with a sense of selflessness and a generosity of spirit.
Teach me that even the small tasks that I do can be great
and that every time I step forward,
I am seeking to raise myself to a higher place
as I join others in creating and shaping
a sacred community.
Help me see that healing comes
from the patience and forgiveness
that I offer to others and to myself,
and that warmth is generated
when I willingly extend an open hand
to a newcomer who seeks a sense of belonging
or to a member who hopes to deepen
his or her commitment to our heritage.
Remind me that I set an example
every moment I am with my congregation
of what our community can and should be:
a place that reflects the best values of our tradition,
including unity, equality, cooperation, mutual respect,
compassion, and humility.
Enable me to understand that what I do is for Your sake,
that the reward for my volunteerism
is the overwhelming feeling of connection
that I derive from giving.
Instill in me a sense of gratitude
for the opportunity to give
and with a desire to show others how grateful I am
that they have been willing to serve, to give, to help,
and to create lasting partnerships and friendships
among members of all ages.
Grant me the wisdom to see that I need to be present in many ways for my fellow community members
in times of sorrow, offering support and hope.
Give me the insight to foster a sense of celebration and joy
when we mark life’s milestones
and when our collaboration yields new ideas,
ongoing successes and growth.
May I join with my community to create a culture of honor
which will always highlight how the intangible gifts
that each of us brings to our community
will make others want to join us along our common journey.
L’chayim – to life – for all of us as we seek the One
who keeps us alive, who sustains us, and who brings us
to each new chance to serve and share.
Rabbi Larry Karol was ordained at HUC -JIR in Cincinnati in 1981 and has served congregations in Dayton, OH; Topeka, KS; Dover, NH; and now at Temple Beth-El in Las Cruces, NM. He and his wife Rhonda have a son, Adam, who is Digital Communications Manager at URJ.
Originally posted at Rabbi Larry Karol
This is very nice, but I have two minor demurrers, the second contingent on the first.
I would have labeled this a prayer rather than a psalm, not that we don’t have many psalms in our prayer books. As a prayer, it concentrates on asking for help and guidance, all the while acknowledging the greatness of the Source from whom that help and guidance will come.
But I miss an explicit statement of the third aspect of prayer, besides recognition and petition: thanks. Volunteerism has been the third pillar of my life, along with family and work, and I know that I have been greatly rewarded for whatever I have done, in terms of personal growth, intellectual stimulation, friendships made, experiences encountered, and exposure to g’dolei hador,the great ones of our era.
When I told my mother more than half a century ago that I had been elected to my first presidency of a voluntary organization, she told me what my grandmother had said to her when she was elected to her first presidency: Raizel, if this is going to give you satisfaction, I’m very happy for you — but you should know up front that if you’re doing it in the expectation that anyone will ever say thank you, you’re doomed to disappointment.
My bubbe was, I think, unduly cynical, because I can’t complain that I haven’t enjoyed expressions of appreciation along the way, but they were the bonus, not the compensation.
So I thank all who have helped and guided me along the way, and Rabbi Karol for providing an opening for me to express these special thanks to the One in whose name we volunteers do what we do.