Church Family Update - May 6, 2020

First, Some Good News:

There were doubters out there who said it couldn’t be done. But we did it. Last night our full council “gathered” together on Google Meets for a meeting. Almost everyone was able to navigate the technical hurdles and join us. We were interrupted a couple of times by an impertinent cuckoo clock but other than that things went relatively smoothly. We had a great time reconnecting and considering the state of things at Ebenezer. 

We’ll send out some highlights from the meeting either later this week or next week. But just to prove it to those of you who still don’t believe that we pulled it off, here’s an action shot of our council at work. 

A few notes on this picture: First of all, I should have warned everyone that I was taking a screenshot so that we all could have looked at the camera and smiled…but what would be the fun in that? The blur in the corner in Freda. I can personally attest that Roy is not sleeping. He’s just looking down and pondering something ineffable. The man in the shadows who looks like he’s in the witness protection program is Brendan. And Jordan wasn’t really as angry as he looks in that picture. In fact, I’m not entirely sure that was the real Jordan. I suspect he sent his personal cyborg that he’s been working on since this quarantine began.

What a great group of people! It is truly a privilege and an honor to serve with this team and I’m thankful that they (mostly) put up with me. 

A Devotional Thought:

“For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.” (Hebrews 6:10)

One of the best things about Ebenezer is that we are a servant-hearted church. Just one example of that is the fact that I’ve had far more people ask me how they can help out during this difficult time than people who have indicated that they need help. In other words, we’ve got a surplus of servants right now. That’s amazing! Who knows what the needs in our church and in our community will be as things continue to progress but isn’t it good to be part of a church full of people who love to serve?

Last night during our council meeting I was reminded that our leaders embody this value that we have of serving one another. It was genuinely beautiful to see and hear the care and concern our elders and deacons have for our congregation and how seriously they take their responsibilities. 

Under normal circumstances, right now we would be making plans to get a new batch of elders and deacons. Four elders and two deacons are coming to the end of their three-year terms. And they have all served well and faithfully. 

But these are not normal circumstances. So we discussed how to approach this situation. And every single one of those individuals said they were willing to continue serving in their current capacities as we wait and see how things unfold. 

At this point, it’s not easy to make plans for the future because we don’t know what the future will hold. But this morning I find myself thanking God for the faithful men and women who serve on our council. We’re blessed to have people like that leading us. They truly embody Hebrews 6:10. They have shown love for God’s name by serving the saints. 

To our elders and deacons: We love you!!

Have a blessed day.

Pastor Jason