NANCY TAYLOR, BOARD OF DEACONESSES CHAIR
The Board of Deaconesses has the privilege of offering spiritual hope, encouragement, and practical help to members of our congregation. The Board of Deaconesses has the privilege of offering spiritual hope, encouragement and practical help to members of our congregation. We were delighted to resume meeting in person this year (rather than on Zoom) and to restart some of the activities we were unable to do during the height of COVID. This year’s board was made up of Allison Bonga, Diana Clem, Laurie Costley, Joan Engeseth, Linda Gulbransen (through November), Amy Kruis, Lindsay McCracken, Whitney McKevitt, Mary Miller, Mary Nellessen, Sarah Nelson, Angie Schroeder, Carol Taylor and Susan Zimmerman. Each deaconess serves on two of our seven committees, but we could not do our jobs without the small army of congregants who sign up to provide meals, rides and funeral food. If you would like to be added to the list of people who receive emails about needs like this, sign up on the website at www.college-church.org/impact/ current-needs. We also rely on you to tell us about the needs of those we can serve. The “help and hope” button on the church website is our primary mechanism for responding to needs in our congregation. At our monthly meetings, we begin by praying for needs in our congregation. As important as practical help is, the best thing we can do is pray for one another. If you’d like us to pray for you, let us know! After our prayer time, we hear updates from our elder and pastoral liaisons, chairs report on each committee’s activities from the previous month, and then we discuss any issues related to our work. Committees continue their work throughout the month as they prayerfully consider how best to respond to requests that come in. Here’s a snapshot of what we’ve been able to do this year. • Each deaconess has the joy of bimonthly visits to one or two homebound congregants, and we were glad to be able to resume in-person visits this fall when it was safe to do so.
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CO L L E G E C H U R C H 2 02 2 ANNUAL R E PO RT
• 244 handwritten cards were sent to express our love to people who were grieving the loss of loved ones, going through physical hardship, or rejoicing in the joy of marriage or new babies. • Christmas cards were sent to our military service people. • Forty poinsettias were personally delivered at Christmas to the homebound, furloughing missionaries, and those who experienced the loss of a spouse or child this year. • 174 meals and 6 rides were given to 35 families going through challenging times. • Easter flowers were brought to homebound congregants. • We served at 17 funerals, offering everything from luncheons to ice cream socials, as requested by the grieving families. • Through the Care and Share fund, nearly $200,000 was disbursed for 61 families and individuals to help with items such as housing, counseling, utilities, medical expenses. • Money from the Care and Share fund was periodically given to Outreach Community Center and Churches United for Hardship Assistance. • In conjunction with the deacons, communion was served each month in various ways as COVID protocols dictated. • We were able to provide robes, towels and logistical support at 14 baptisms. After serving on this committee for three years, I can say with confidence that College Church has a big heart and genuinely tries to serve each other in a way that feels as connected as a small church. Whether through a written note, practical help for daily needs, or serving at milestone moments in a believer’s life, it is our prayer that the hope of Christ is evident in our service to the College Church family.
