Today's Reading: Teamwork

What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. For we are God's servants, working together; you are God's field, God's building.  (1 Cor. 3:5-9)

Reading this passage, it reminds me of what is written later:

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 
There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 
There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. (1 Cor. 12:4-6)

This sits with me for two reasons.  The first is because of so many people expecting that a priest functions in very specific ways with rigidly defined roles.  But if we are to function best, we need to work with each other, leveraging our individual gifts, for the betterment of the team.  Thus, we each need to focus on what we do best, hone those skills and contribute what we can for the good of all.  It's that team thought which leads me to the second part.

Avoiding the 'body of Christ' analogy, I would go with that of a sport team.  Looking at american football as an example, each position on the team is of equal value and has a valid function.  There is nobody who is 'better' than another, just people fulfilling different roles as their skills and abilities direct them.  Further, individuals come and go, but the team endures.

Each of us in the broader church, from virtual preacher to parish sacristan to lay-person, are all part of the Team of God and each of us has a vital role to play in the health and well-being of the church.  Some are more high-profile than others but none are more or less important and we ALL need to be putting in our very best - not for our own glory, but for Hers.