Minister's Annual Report for 2020

Well that was a year to remember! Or possibly a year we might want to forget? At any rate 2020 was a year that was different than any other in my lifetime.

A year ago as I sat down to write my annual reflections I would never have expected that within a few short weeks I would be preaching to a camera and uploading to YouTube and not seeing people every Sunday morning. But that is sort of the defining image of the year – an empty (or almost empty) church and a camera and a computer screen.

So what have we learned in this year of being the church during a pandemic? What were the highlights of the year?

I think the biggest thing we have learned is that we can adapt and change pretty darn quickly when we need to. As an institution the church is not noted for being adept at change, but on March 15 schools were closed and at a special Council meeting on March 16 we agreed that we had to suspend in-person services. By March 25 we had a plan for how that would look, we had a plan for a phone blitz to be in contact with people (especially those for whom we did not have an e-mail address), and we had set up a Zoom account so we could have gatherings in virtual space as needed. Over the next few months we came up with a plan for getting extra cleaning done while the church was not being used, various groups got more comfortable with using Zoom for their meetings, we started weekly (actually twice weekly at first) on-line coffee gatherings. We had communion in a virtual space. We developed and implemented a plan for how we might resume in-person services. And then we turned back and moved into an online-only existence again at the end of the year. As a congregation a lot of changes happened this year – largely without any major bumps. This is something to celebrate!

Some of the changes we have made this year will not go away. The biggest piece that will not go away is that now we are a church that shares our worship services not only with those in the building but online. Last February live streaming our worship was not high on my “to do” list. It was on the radar but not a priority. COVID changed that. There is no going back now. I wonder what new opportunities that might open up for us?

There is at least one more highlight for me this past year. Our stewardship stepped up. I am not thinking only in terms of dollars and donations, which kept constant despite everything else. I also think of those who volunteered for our Garage Sale, and those who delivered and made phone calls and those who shared videos and photos for worship events. And so many other things that happened this year only happened because people shared their time, talent, and treasure. Thank you for all of it!

2020 was a very strange year. We had to do things very differently. Some of it felt (and still feels) very strange. But we were there for each other. And God was there in the midst of it all. There are, I am sure, many non pandemic-related items to talk about from last year but really my focus for the year was reacting and adapting to COVID. To be honest I am not sure I have finished processing it all for myself. And so I think I will close with these words from Scripture:

"I have much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink;
instead I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to face."
3 John 1:13

Be blessed my friends.
Gord.