Friends in Christ,
Grace and peace to you in the name of the Christ, whose presence among us brings tidings of great joy!
Along with the challenges that Covid brought us this year, there has also been an opportunity for us to proclaim the love of Jesus in a variety of new ways. Using creativity and ingenuity, our faith community continued to worship, nurture and grow faith across the generations, and share expressions of care with those who were hurting. When gathering inside the familiar space of our sanctuary proved unsafe, we entered cyberspace and connected online.
I am grateful for the staff, volunteers, and support from the St. James community. Thank you all for what you did to strengthen the ministry we share. Not only were we able to keep our church alive and open, even with our doors shut, but we uncovered new ways of being the church.
Our weeks have been filled with Livestream worships on Sunday and Wednesday, Drive-In and Zoom Communion worships, Zoom Bible Studies, Online Sunday School, Phone-In Bible Study with our seniors, Faith Team gatherings, Online Confirmation Class, and Zoom Happy Hours. Our Pastoral Care Team has remained in close contact with dozens of households, maintaining life-giving connections. Recently we shared $2130 in matched Thanksgiving gifts to local food shelves. The response to Armful of Love has exceeded $6,500. Wow!
So much goes on at St. James - even during a pandemic and social distancing!
Giving support was strong throughout the first three quarters of 2020. This allowed us to fully fund the ministry, to pay off our 2019 Roof Repairs ($29,200), and make progress on our Mortgage (we paid $43,287 , bringing our balance down to $49,000).
October and November saw giving lagging behind expenses for the first time in 2020. We currently have a year to date deficit of just over $10,000. Although this raises concern, I am confident that we can rise to close this gap and finish 2020 on a positive note. Would you help? Can you make a special offering during this Advent and Christmas season? If you have fallen behind in your intended giving for the year, can you catch up? All gifts are greatly appreciated. CLICK HERE to make a gift now.
This week, you will receive in the mail a copy of our Christmas schedule. As you will see, there are options for both in-person and online worship. It will be a Christmas celebration that is unlike any other. Whether you participate online, on-phone, or driving-in, I pray that these opportunities will brighten your spirits with the hope that is ours. For unto us [even in covid-stressed times] a child was born, a son was given who is Christ the Lord.
In Christ’s Light,
Pastor Walt