Annual Report 2021

Friends in Christ, Grace and Peace to each and every one of you,

I tend to think in song. Just ask the girls and they could tell you I will occasionally sing snippets of something related to what was just said in the middle of a conversation. [Full disclosure: for some reason they don’t seem to appreciate this.] Because I tend to think in song, every year as Annual Report time draws nigh I find myself wondering what song might capture what needs to be said this year. This year as I started that “what shall I say this year” process there were a couple that came to mind. One was Life in the Goo, a piece written by a friend of mine in the US (I may use that one for something else in the near future). Then there were two written by Nancy Chegus, a name I suspect some in this congregation may recognize. One, Spirit Call, is one I wish I had thought of before writing my piece for the last newsletter. Here is the one that I think helps to encapsulate what needs to be said this year:

Faithful God, Faithful steward, faithful follower of Christ.
Here’s my hand I’ll do my part, and respond with all my heart.
Faithful God, Faithful steward, faithful follower of Christ.
For the gifts that I receive I will respond.
(Faithful God, Faithful Steward by Nancy Chegus ©1995 – refrain)

As we look back at the year that was and look ahead to the years that yet will be how have, and how will, we been faithful stewards? How have we done our part, how have we responded? Many of the answers are in the pages of this report as we recall what all happened around St. Paul’s in 2021.

As I look at the many many ways people in this congregation have responded I am filled with gratitude. And so I wish to say thank you. Thank you for all the ways you have responded with all your heart. Thank you for those who made the Garage Sale happen last August. That you to those who have read Scripture, in person or on video. Thank you to all who have phoned neighbours and friends to help keep in touch. Thank you to those who stepped up to take on a new challenge and learn how to operate our A/V equipment. Thank you to those who have hand delivered newsletters and bulletins and helped keep our community connected. Thank you to those who served on committees and teams and Council to look after the myriad of details that go into keeping this place functioning. Thank you for the financial gifts that pay the bills. Thank you to Alison and Jeannette and the choirs for sharing their music. Thank you to Carla for helping keep us all organized. Thank you for everything, large or small, that you have given to help St. Paul’s United respond to God’s call to be the church in this place and time. THANK YOU!

There’s a place in this world of ours where the hungry people are fed;
refugees find a shelter from life; and the homeless find a bed.
It’s a place of love and caring and you need not look too far,
for it dwells in the heart of the faithful steward acting out their part.
(Faithful God, Faithful Steward by Nancy Chegus ©1995 – verse 1)

St. Paul’s helps to build those places of safety and shelter. St. Paul’s is, I firmly believe, a place of love and caring and incredible generosity. I have always said how wonderfully generous this congregation is and few things capture that as well as our Local Outreach Fund. In 2021 you enabled us to share $11 915 with some of our most vulnerable neighbours. This includes Christmas gifts of $5000 to the Salvation Army, $750 to the Elders Caring Shelter, and $750 to the St. Lawrence Centre (and to that you can add all the gifts of ‘stuff’ that we collected during Advent for Elders Caring and St. Lawrence). The other $5415 is made up of grocery and gasoline (mostly grocery) vouchers given to people referred to us by one of the social agencies in town. This is a wonderful ministry. You can feel proud that you are a part of it.

There’s a change in the wind today feel the Spirit stir in your soul.
See the new trail unbroken ahead, full of mysteries yet untold.
It’s a path of dreams and visions carved by what we do and say.
Step by step hand in hand we will build the future, in God’s name we pray.
(Faithful God, Faithful Steward by Nancy Chegus ©1995 – verse 2)

As we journeyed through 2021 we were still being buffeted by the winds of COVID-19. We are still continually needing to set our sails as we figure out how best to live faithfully and lovingly in the midst of a pandemic. When future church-folk look at the stories and statistics of the church over the years 2021 will, like 2020 before it, be a year with a big asterisk beside it. It has not been the year we would have asked for. Then again, what year has ever really been the year we would have asked for? But we have adapted and adjusted as we needed to. We have not given up. Many of us may have felt close to being overwhelmed at times but we adapted and kept trying.

Now we turn and look ahead, at the future, that new unbroken trail, the undiscovered country. Where is the Spirit leading us next? What mysteries lie around the bend? What rest stops will we find along the way? I don’t know. I am sure many of us have our own hopes and dreams and fears about it. But we will find out together. We will continue to be faithful stewards, acting out our part, responding as best we can with the gifts God has given us. We will Belong...Believe... Love...Listen...Lead. Together.

Yours in Christ,
Rev. Gord Waldie