The stories keep coming in. The launch of Community Groups out into their various parts of the city was a great learning experience and success. I had the privilege of serving at a Senior Board and Care Home just a mile or so from my house. Our team helped with some light maintenance around the house, baked some fresh cookies for the residents and caregivers, and spent time connecting with the residents. It was such a privilege to see folks operating in their sweet spots as they cared and served in these various ways. Later that evening we gathered for a potluck which featured some awesome tri-tip and some incredible s'more pie. Yes, yes ... there were people at the potluck too. And we had a great time hearing the stories from the four houses we served earlier that day.
One of my highlights from the evening was meeting some folks for the very first time. They attended worship at First Pres for the first time on Sunday morning and heeded our invitation to join their community group on Sunday evening. How cool is that!?! One of our dreams for these Community Groups has been that they would be an environment that was particularly hospitable for newcomers. Thus, it was very satisfying to see this new couple interact with several folks in a way that would likely never happen on the church lawn after worship.
As we discern our next steps with Community Groups I hope and pray that we'll keep the elements of neighborhood engagement and hospitality as a core part of their DNA. But we don't want to do that discernment alone. This Sunday, during the education hour, I'll be hosting another First Pres Forum for some corporate dialogue to reflect on our summer and consider what's next. If you aren't serving our children and youth during Sunday school (thanks team!), I hope you'll join us in the Fellowship Hall. I can't wait to see how the Lord guides us forward.
Blessings,
Jeremy Vaccaro
P.S. Don't forget, we're back to the normal Sunday schedule this weekend.
Posted by
