Checking-In on Our Beloved Community

Written by Isaac Warner, Council President
 
Brothers and Sisters,
 
It’s hard to believe August is already upon us! Perhaps more than anything, these last few months have shown me that time is but a construct and who really knows what day it is anyway? In all seriousness, I hope you and your families are doing well mentally, physically, and spiritually. This year has been out of the ordinary for all of us, some profoundly so, and my family and I continue to pray for each of you as we journey onward. As we move into late summer, I wanted to take a moment to catch up and fill you in on what staff and your council have been up to as well as look at the months to come.
 
First, a big THANK YOU to those who have given their time calling members. I have heard from so many in our community who have so appreciated the personal connection, myself included. It has been a joy to hear how we continue to care for each other, even when we aren’t able to gather in-person on Sunday morning. With the recent extension of our in-person suspension through 2020, we must continue to seek out ways to be together until we can safely do so in person.
 
Since the onset of COVID-19, your council has been focused on ensuring that we continue to be able to meet the needs of our community and the responsibility we have to each other and to our staff. We are incredibly blessed to have the staff and council that we do and for their tireless work adapting to continually changing circumstances. Thanks to KC Gubrud and her efforts, we were able to secure a forgivable Payroll Protection Program grant from the federal government which allowed us to uphold commitments to our staff through the end of June and prevent any income-related staff reductions. And, thanks to your continued generosity, we remain in a position to care for those in our faith community and our community at large who have been affected by this pandemic in ways that so many of us are privileged to not know. One manifestation of this care is through our COVID-19 Relief Fund which will support members of our community directly impacted by this pandemic. I ask that you join me in increasing your giving, if you are able, to support this effort.
 
On the staff side, a huge shout out to our entire team who have poured heart and soul (and a little time and effort too) into creating unique worship experiences for us each week and allowing us to continue to join together in Jesus Christ and proclaim the good news. Amid uncertainty, these opportunities to connect are very much appreciated and valued. I’m looking forward to the new and creative ways that we will worship and share in fellowship together in the coming month. If you haven’t been able to join us, please visit our website for more info about how you can be a part of our virtual worship. Don’t miss our drive-up service coming up this Sunday, 8/9, at 9:30am. See you in the parking lot!
 
In peace,
Isaac Warner, President