Jim Beyer: Serving as a way of life

If it’s Sunday, you can most likely count on finding Jim Beyer at the downstairs south entrance to Wesley Hall with a smile on his face. He kicks off his week by welcoming guests into the 11 am Cornerstone service. From serving as a greeter for Cornerstone and participating as a Stephen Minister to facilitating a divorce care recovery class and leading a small group, Beyer finds a way to serve the Highland Park United Methodist Church community nearly every day of the week.

Katie Payne, Hospitality Coordinator, said Beyer serves without asking for anything in return and serves more than anyone she knows.

“I think for me it’s all about connection and community,” Beyer said. “As Christians, we have a powerful message; the message always belongs in and depends on the community. It pulls you into a community with fellow Christians, and it is meant to be heard and lived out within community. It’s all about loving your neighbor and loving God; those two are totally interconnected.”

The pandemic played a pivotal role in Beyer’s service to HPUMC. While others were staying home, he looked for a way to be present at church every Sunday.

“When COVID hit and we were spacing everybody out with three seats in between, they were asking for people to serve as greeters and ushers because it was more of a high-risk volunteer position,” he said. “I thought, ‘this is a great way to serve and be around people. I can have a meaningful role here, and I can be here every Sunday.’”

For Beyer, when it comes to looking for ways to serve in the church, it’s all about finding opportunities that complement his passions and gifts with the needs of the community.

“I look for ways to serve that match what I have to give and utilize both my interests and skills,” he said. “I especially enjoy working with people either one-on-one or in small groups. I feel like I can personally get more out of that and be more effective in those environments. It fits my personality better.”

A year-and-a-half ago, Beyer remembers being approached by clergy members with the request to lead a small group when they needed more leaders. He had participated in a few different groups himself and jumped at the chance to lead. Since then, Beyer has hosted a small, close-knit group of men weekly on Zoom.

“We discuss the lesson, applying the wisdom of what we’re learning in the scriptures and what we’ve learned along the way in life, but we are also intentional about involving each other in our personal lives. It’s a way for us to develop community,” he said. “We feel very close. I’ll say, ‘hey, I love you guys.’ I don’t have a problem saying those words. They’re contributing 100%, they’re totally invested in our meeting. We all feel the same way about it. We need that time together every week. I’ve found that very rewarding.”

With a heart for community, Beyer hopes to see the small group grow and add new members over time. Seeing the potential of building the community to go deeper and do faith together.

In addition to acting as a small group leader, Beyer also facilitates a divorce care class twice a year. He feels drawn to people who have a need or are in a difficult place in their life.

“For some reason, people find it difficult, threatening, or tense, but I’m like okay, let’s do this,” he said. “This is where real life is. I’m all for that. The greatest need is where you can make the greatest impact. It’s a tough time in people’s lives. They’re undergoing tremendous amounts of stress and asking, ‘Where is God? Where am I with God?’”

Beyer finds joy in meeting people in their pain and sharing the hope of Jesus Christ with them. “It’s a time of new beginning. It’s not a choice to begin anew for a lot of people. But divorce forces that on you,” he said. “You can help people start over. You get to meet new people. Who wouldn’t be attracted to that? It’s also very rewarding to see people grow and change as they work through the material.”

He said it also helps them know there is someone with them as they “start over” and enter a new beginning. This is also one of the reasons he became a Stephen Minister, helping people walk through difficult times.

“I started serving in Stephen Ministry about a year and a half or two years ago,” he said. “We have a lot of different situations and circumstances that people are dealing with in their lives. It could be death. Loss of a loved one. An illness of a loved one, or possibly their own.”

Serving the HPUMC community is not just a prevailing part of Beyer’s week; it’s his way of life. He looks for those that are avoided and overlooked and does what he can to use his God-given gifts and compassion for others to shine the light of the Gospel in dark places.

“I run towards healing. I run towards renewal. I run towards making a difference,” Beyer said.

Next time he greets you with a smile and a handshake, thank Jim Beyer for making HPUMC a better place.