Thriving this Summer!

I do not think I am alone when I say these past two months have been hard! I have found some days I am overwhelmed with grief as I am not able to be physically with those I love and care for the way I am used to being. Other days I am filled with joy as I join with others on zoom Bible studies, meetings and social gatherings.

Under normal circumstances, the end of April would have been our celebration of another year of Midweek@Midtown completed and the middle of May would have been our last Sunday school class as we wind down our regular offerings and gear up for summer. But this time is anything but normal! As we shift our offerings to the virtual realm and extend our time frames to continue to provide a sense of community while our building in closed. As we begin to look at reopening our building and making modifications to the way we worship and gather together as a church we are also looking at continued physical distancing and further instances of social isolation. I find myself asking questions about what that truly looks like and what does it mean for our us as we live out our mission statement, “A Community called by God to Worship, Grow and Serve”?

Here is what I think it means…we need to get creative about how we live out that statement as a church (which is the people and not the building!) So, my hope and dream is that EVERYONE will join in a small group this summer as we seek new and creative ways to be the church connected! I am working with several ministry teams to brainstorm group ideas – bible study groups, prayer groups, fellowship groups, exercise groups, social groups, hobby groups, etc.– in the hopes that there will be something for everyone. The list that you will find on the next few pages is nowhere near complete, especially if there is not anything that appeals to you! That being said, if there is something that you are interested in studying, find a few others, talk about when, and talk to me and I can help set up the where! Let me help you make a community group that will encourage you during this prolonged time of physical distancing and you can help me make my crazy dream come true!

Blessings,
Pastor Jenni

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:17-19 (NIV)

Categories: Discipleship, News, Pastor's Manna