Message from Pastor Erin Oh so soon we will welcome Pastor Mori to Ravenswood Fellowship UMC. In the final weeks of my time worshipping and serving with you all, we continue to move through our phases of re-opening, garden around the building, prepare to be technologically ready to live stream from the sanctuary, and plan for other creative outreach opportunities. Every week there are new opportunities to serve God and creative ways to give back to the community where we worship. The gardening team needed new hedge clippers, so we bought some that were sharp and safe to use. Volunteers worked to move our pew cushions and dust our furniture. At the end of their hard work, we replenished their bodies with burgers and Gatorade. In order to prepare to live stream our services for those who need or wish to stay at home, we are researching wireless microphones, new recording equipment, and a computer to hold all the information. On top of all that, we regularly buy stamps and mail out copies of our bulletin and sermons to home-bound parishioners who don't have access to the internet. All of this effort of outreach, streaming, feeding, and cleaning requires financial support. Church communities often ask for pledges and financial gifts during a certain season of the year, but generosity is a year long spiritual practice. I write about all of these expenses for our church and the practice of generosity, because we are doing exciting, good work. And I write to remind us that when we share our finances with our faith community we share in the work of the church. Please help us continue this good work of growing our community of God, sharing good news with our neighbors, feeding those who make our church great and feeding our neighbors, too. Oh yeah! I forgot to mention, we regularly donate money to our partner organization The Night Ministry to feed those experience food insecurity. Your financial gift to the church goes a long way in sharing God's good news. Thank you for what you do! You can give regularly each week online at our PayPal account or by mailing our checks to our office at 4511 N Hermitage Ave. Chicago, IL 60640. Oh, and the church? It's still happening at the same time in all the same places. See links below. Pastor Mori starts July 5. Read about the Phases for Re-Opening here. We are still in Phase Two. Is that document too long? Read the summary version here. |
No comments:
Post a Comment