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SPIRITUAL NEEDS

While snipers, soldiers, and biochemical experts are hard at work keeping athletes at this summer's Olympic Games safe, elite priests will also be on duty to deal with matters of the soul. Orthodox priests from the Church of Greece will be available to any athlete at any time. They will also hold morning and evening services every day at the Olympic Village. The Church of Greece announced the plans at a service blessing the Greek Olympic and Paraolympic teams.

A spokesman, Father Epifanos Economou, said the priests are multilingual and speak European or Slavic languages and have received special instructions.

They will have printed material in foreign languages for athletes. Economou added, "Not just any priest could do this work, they have to have special qualifications." The church of Greece also instructed area churches to clean up their property, ring bells sparingly, and have brochures ready for tourists who are interested in the country's Orthodox heritage.

—Reuters, Elite Priests Deployed for Olympic Spiritual Needs, August 2, 2004. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

There is a sense in which ministers all need special qualifications to do the work of the Lord, but that doesn't mean there isn't something for everyone to do.

God has placed in us special spiritual gifts that allow us to do the work He's called us to do.

Everyone, not just priests and pastors are ministers.

1 Peter 2:9-10 (NASB) "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a HOLY NATION, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; [10] for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."