Pastor's Report to the Congregation

Friends in Christ,

On March 6 of 2022 we remembered in worship the second anniversary of closing the doors and opening the Internet for worship at the start of the COVID pandemic. Who knew what was coming? But here we are, now nearly three years since, remembering all that 2022 brought to each one of us, and to Pinnacle Presbyterian Church, and thanking God for God's faithfulness. In my sermon on that March 6, 2022, Sunday, I said this:

I'm bullish on Pinnacle—because the Spirit has us. I'm inspired by where we're going, because the Spirit can show us. I'm realistic about the challenges, but grateful for you, for leadership, for resources, for faith, for God's Spirit among us—despite us, for us, and with us for others.

Dr. Wesley Avram, Pastor

As 2022 is now done and we move into 2023, I can say that same thing today. We can say the same thing today. And it's with that in mind that I welcome you to our Annual Report on ministries in 2022.

This year's Report is shaped by reflections on 2022 from elder leaders of various ministry groups. From Children's and Family Ministries to Finance and from Music and Arts to Facilities, you'll see highlights of faithful work. As we've slowly come out of the extraordinary years of 2020 and 2021, we've found Pinnacle pretty much on trend with what's happening all around the country. We have a small and increasingly permanent "online" congregation now, joined with an in-person congregation that while smaller than it was before the pandemic is strongly committed and slowly growing. We're learning how to be together again and seeing folks lingering and reengaging. We find ourselves rethinking and rebuilding areas of volunteer support. All around the church we are reshaping ministries and missions for this time. And as we have done this, we've seen new leaders emerge and new enthusiasm begin to take hold. The spirit is back. There is a growing sense of hope among us.

One among many reasons for my enthusiasm about Pinnacle right now is the proactive way your lay leadership took on the challenge of shaping post-pandemic ministry. In June of 2021, with resolve and confidence the Session elected to stretch, to build, and to prepare.

To do that, they approved a staffing vision to meet the moment and worked with the presbytery on a flexible process to meet our needs. That culminated in a reshaped and expanded vision for pastoral ministry that bore fruit in 2022. As that process was underway, we benefitted from the interim ministry of Rev. Terilyn Lawson, who we blessed as she took a long-anticipated move into Navy Chaplaincy in the spring. In June, we welcomed into ministry the Rev. Erik Khoobyarian, in a newly shaped role of Executive Associate Pastor. Erik has become so much a part of us and a deeply valued partner in ministry. We more fully articulated and established the ministry of Dr. Mike Hegeman, now our Associate Pastor in Education and Senior Adult Ministries (and Associate Director of the Fran Park Center for Faith and Life). Then, in the fall of 2022, we welcomed the Rev. Leah Quarles into ministry among us. She is bringing fresh ideas, a steady and gentle spirit, and strong pastoral skills to us. I'm so pleased, and so grateful.

In addition to filling out the pastoral staff, we also publicly affirmed the interim leadership in music and arts of Dr. Ilona Kubiaczyk-Adler, naming her our Director of Ministries in Music and Arts. We thanked Dr. Lorraine Brugh as she completed her year as our Artist in Residence and celebrated ways she expanded our experience of worship, helped us see the connection between music and mission, and introduced us to our new hymnal. We later welcomed Dr. Valerie Harris into her role as Associate Director of Music and Arts and are appreciating her partnership with Ilona. Alongside this, we were sad to say farewell to Hillary Mackowski after five sweet years as our charismatic Director of Children's and Family Ministries, as her family moved to Kansas.

2022 also brought wonderful improvements to our church campus, with Trinity Terrace dedicated, rooms refreshed, air conditioning units replaced, and other work accomplished. More is to come in those areas.

Our Preschool had a remarkable and blessed year. Our Park Center resumed and re-imagined programming coming out of the pandemic years—with Pathways videos, a regular newsletter, a podcast series, the resumption of Project: Dialogue and Courageous Conversations, oneoff events, and more. Stay tuned for much more to come in 2023.

Pinnacle is in a strong position financially and has ambitions for growing programs, accomplishing additional capital repairs and improvements, and providing local and global ministry support. Our "Upon the Rock" major gifts campaign is over halfway to its modest $600,000 goal. I look forward to you helping us reach that goal for listed property related projects, Park Center support, support for local ministry at First Light Fellowship and global ministry in Bethlehem. Let me know if you'd like to help that effort, and I'll tell you more about it!

All in all, I could not be more pleased with how we are being propelled from 2022 into 2023. Momentum will continue, by God's grace, and we will see more built on the strong foundation laid.

Enjoy reading this Annual Report.

In Christ,

Wes Avram, Pastor