John Seward Executive Pastor This is a year we will always remember. Certainly, we will remember the tremendous challenges we’ve faced. And the losses. But we’ve also seen some totally unanticipated blessings. Here are a few. 1. The parking lot tent in our north lot gave space to College Group and other gatherings when indoor options weren’t there. 2. BYOC—Bring Your Own Chair to worship in the Commons parking lot last summer connected us when isolation could have easily grown. 3. Zoom meetings meant record participation at congregational and informational meetings, not to mention smaller gatherings across the church. 4. Our first-ever out-of-state church plant— in Georgia.
5. Most of all, looking back, it’s the people who are serving. I work with a fabulous team. Here are a few of the ways these men and women served College Church and blessed me during this pandemic year. a. Ben Panner’s out-of-the-box thinking brought gospel care to college students at a 10:15 service for them—under a tent, sometimes in Commons Hall. b. Cheryce Berg’s care and encouragement reached our children and their families and many other parts of church with a sense of fun, enthusiasm and joy. c. Curt Miller’s use of technology kept us focused on missionaries and their challenges during the pandemic. d. Dan Hiben’s determined rallying of our middle schoolers (now including sixth grade) set a godly trajectory in their young lives in the days ahead. e. Diane Jordan’s depth of care for our shut-ins means more than ever before at times like these.
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