Letter from the Pastor – April 2026
Dear Church,
On Saturday March 7th, a group of church leaders gathered in Fellowship Hall for a church visioning retreat, led by Associate Regional Minister Rev. Dr. Alex Ruth. Part of this retreat was a follow up on the Thriving Together surveys that we had been collecting the month before. I thank all of you who participated in the Thriving Together congregational check-up, from completing a survey to attending the retreat, all of that input is valuable to the process of church visioning.
The retreat started with Dr. Ruth taking us through the results of the survey. The results confirmed what I already believe I know, that this is a church that is healthy for its size and circumstances. With a community of people that care deeply for one another, are warm and welcoming to visitors, and who seek to find a faithful response to Jesus’s call on our lives. However, the church also has some growing edges, and some areas that need attention as we seek to grow and live into that calling. The retreat helped us to clarify these things, and at the end of the day the group was able to identify four areas to give attention to over the next 12 months. We were invited to brainstorm and experiment as part of taking steps toward these goals.
These four items fell under the categories of Outreach, Facilities, and Leadership. In the area of Outreach, the group set a goal for our church to find ways to reaffirm our commitment to being an Open and Affirming church, and to be more active in our allyship to the LGBTQIA+ community. In the area of Facilities the goals decided upon were to take steps toward updating and refurbishing the sanctuary space, as well as, looking into possibilities for a new church sign near Big Beaver Road. In the area of Leadership, the group set a goal of clarifying and renewing the church’s mission and identity statement. Who do we say we are as a church?
You will be kept up to date on the progress made in all these areas, and ways in which people might be able to contribute to the process. Today, I offer an opportunity for input on the identity and mission statement. An initial draft of a statement was brainstormed by a small group at the retreat. I then took that statement to the most recent meeting of the church Elders. With their help the statement was further edited and developed. Now, I would like to get input from the rest of the congregation. To that end, there will be two opportunities to attend a listening session around the mission and identity statement where you will be able to see the statement as it exists today and give input as we seek to answer the question “Who are we as a church and what is our mission in our community?”
The listening sessions will be held on Sunday April 19th and Sunday May 3rd after church, during the coffee hour. I hope you will attend.
Overall, the retreat on March 7th was a renewing and rejuvenating experience, and I look forward to taking these next steps toward Thriving Together with all of you.
Peace on the journey,
Pastor Zach