Stretching the faith muscles
Grace has been in a season of healing and renewal. The pandemic was hard for us and we have weathered financial challenges and leadership changes in addition to it. It has required a great deal of change from us, and the change is not done yet.
Healing and renewal sound so much gentler than change and challenge. But if you’ve recovered from a dramatic injury, you know there is nothing soft about healing. Renewal takes not only time but work and even pain. The restoration is not yet complete when the doctors finish the surgery, or the cast comes off. Healing isn't just about getting up off your sick bed, it takes exercise and physical therapy to recover all the stamina and range of motion you had before.
We have come a long way in the last year. The year ahead is about regaining stamina and capacity. Over the next few months, we will focus on increasing our discipleship opportunities and growing in our ability to welcome and integrate new people into our community. The board is reading Get Their Name by Bishop Farr and planning how we can make the most of outreach events like Messy Church and Back-to-School Bash. I will be recruiting volunteers to help with welcoming and marketing. We have restarted the Young Professionals group and in the fall we will launch additional growth opportunities on Monday evenings. These will be supported by childcare on campus.
At this stage, nothing is going to be perfect, and it might not be exactly like it was in the past; but Grace is continuing to recover. The capacity of the church depends not just on the staff, but more so on the congregation. The pandemic changed many of our schedules and priorities. If church has slipped out of your rhythm, then now is the time to plug back in. Stretch those faith muscles once more. If you are hoping for a particular kind of study or program, let us know. If you are seeking places to lead or serve, let's talk.
Grace has come a long way. We rejoice in all that has happened to help us recover and we look forward to the work of growth ahead.