The Year in Review with our Senior Pastor

A Letter from Your Pastor

C

ommunity matters. Relationships matter. Genesis tells us God created humans out of a desire to be in relationship with us, and God created humanity so that we would not be alone but in relationship with one another. Connected. In Community. In 2021, the pandemic and other societal factors stressed, stretched, and in some cases tore at the fabric of community unlike anything most of us have ever seen. Life-giving routines and rituals of gathering together to share the journey of life Sunday by Sunday or Wednesday by Wednesday became more complicated and, for some, more risky. Families near and far felt the sting of death, while healthcare workers, educators and others experienced the emotional, physical and spiritual drain of these stressors. And yet, through it all, God has been faithful. Christ has been present. The Holy Spirit has continued to draw us to the One who is our heart's truest home, whether that was in-person or via technology, with a mask or without. Strengthened by God, the Eastminster family did as Acts 2 describes, "the believers devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, to fellowship, the breaking of bread and to prayer." Worship and witness, studying and serving, care and prayer, all continued. Even as there was great temptation to look only inward, Eastminster reached out. A record $1.3 million was given beyond the church. Babies were born (37), New members joined (79), Alpha was re-born (85 participants), and so much more. Through our Five Kingdom Goals, First Responders were affirmed, over $300,000 was given to hunger ministries across S.C., Young CHAMPS students received support for Higher Education, a Marriage Class was conducted, and a Habitat House was built. Where 2021 brought challenges and hardships for many, my prayer is that it will also be remembered as a year that awakened us to the holy wonder of the lifegiving routines and rituals of being connected, gathering and worshiping together. In other words, I pray it will be remembered as a year each of us rediscovered and reclaimed the sometimes complicated, but nonetheless sacred beauty of sharing the journey of life as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.

Soli Deo gloria (To God be the Glory),