Pastor Pondering:
Happy Easter, everyone! I hope you will continue to bask in the joy of Easter morning as we enjoy the spring weather and the changing of the seasons. I am currently getting ready to leave for my trip to the Holy Land, and look forward to sharing my experiences with you when I return. I will be gone April 18-28. You will be blessed with a message from Rev. Cyndi Alte on April 23. Her message is “Wonder-full” looking at the story of Jesus and Thomas in John’s Gospel.
If you need pastoral assistance while I’m away, please contact Rev. Greg Enstrom. His contact information is (260) 466-5725.
In other news, our Coffee Hub for Gathering Grounds met with a group from Church Development to check in with us after 6 months of the coffee shop being up and running. We had fruitful conversation about this vital ministry of our church, along with realistic discussions around the challenges we face. My hope is that we as a church will continue to support Gathering Grounds with our patronage and the spreading of the word that we are here for people to gather in the community. Our hope is to offer hospitality and safe space for everyone. In that spirit, I invite you to do a few things:
1) PRAY! Pray over this ministry! When you come into the church on Sunday mornings or during the week, pray over the tables where people will gather during the week. Pray for the people who will gather there, that they may be blessed and see this as a safe and welcoming space for everyone.
2) LISTEN! What are the needs in our community? Is there something that we need to be aware of in order to better serve the people here? Listen and share with us who are part of the Coffee Hub.
3) INVITE! Invite people to check out Gathering Grounds. Let them know we are here! Let them know we offer a great space to connect, gather, study, meet, play games, have conversation, etc.
4) GIVE IT A TRY! Haven’t tried one of the delicious lattes, coffees, teas, or smoothies? Stop in and give it a try over a chat with a friend.
I hope we will continue to rally around this unique ministry opportunity we offer here at Ford Street!
In Christ,
Pastor Jill
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