Minister’s Report – 2018
Dear Bethany:
It’s been quite a year, our Sunday morning congregation has grown to just shy of 200 (we keep running out of bulletins!), our revenues are up from last year, people are signing up to participate in our community/educational events in large numbers, the choir is as large as it’s ever been in Shawn’s 20-year tenure, and our 2018 Fall Fair raised over $34,000. And new people keep coming… It’s been quite a year. As you will hear from our Capital Campaign Committee we are on track to raise the $1 million plus we will need to renovate our building.
And speaking of upgrades to our building…I want to commend Gord and his Board of Managers for their very hard work. In particular, I want to thank them and Phil and his crew for the Ramp on the side of the Hall that allows our building to be accessed by more and more people. That Ramp is a blessing and a vessel of God’s love. Thank you!
We’ve been witnessing more and more people coming to our church, usually from outside metro, retirees who are selling their homes and renting apartments in the city. I have been calling them when they leave their contact information and having coffee conversation. I see many coming back, volunteering and participating in our events, becoming part of our community.
A few highlights to mention:
- Jim and Rhonda had a vision for a Volunteer Appreciation Night and together with our staff we shared a beautiful evening of gratitude. I also took that opportunity to make October Volunteer Appreciation month and crafted sermons to meet that moment. The Spirit was/is contagious.
- The Bethany Players offered The People in Our Neighbourhood and it was a big hit, both from a creative standpoint and the size of the cast and audience.
- Our funeral reception teams have gone above and beyond the call of duty, offering families a Ministry of Hospitality that has more than made its mark. Families are so appreciative of this offering.
I continue to visit people on a regular basis, persons in assisted living, residential care and folks living at home. In all of these contexts, whether people are in good spirits or troubled by challenges, I try to make myself available quickly, with compassion and with the assurance that none of us are alone, we live in God’s world.
Blessings in ministry, Kevin Little