Things to celebrate (from Pastor Paul's Charge Conference Report - Pastors Report at Charge Conference on December 18):
We made it through this pandemic!
Our church connection with our WDS is stronger than it has been in many years, both in terms of staff engagement and connection with the ministries of the church. Our back to school gathering and Easter egg hunt were beautiful times of connection. Lynne Collier is representing the WDS on our Executive Committee! This is great progress and partnership.
Emma Bushong is leading our ministry with young people and teaching Spanish a few hours each week in our WDS!
Our contract with SFM has allowed us to find savings on a variety of building projects and offered a much- needed system of reporting and tracking maintenance needs.
Other than being flaming hot, our building a home in Waverly for a flooded-out family was an amazing time of ministry as was our young people’s ASP trip.
A Belmont UMC team is heading to Mexico to learn and serve together in January.
Our children and youth choirs are back inside the building and growing. Amy Cooper is taking a well-deserved sabbatical this coming winter, and the very gifted Clay McWhirt-Toler will lead during this time. We pray Amy comes back with renewed vision and vigor! She is amazing as is her team of volunteer choir leaders!
In September, our 8:10am worship service returned to its beloved chapel!
As mentioned earlier, our Feast of Lights was an amazing worship experience with over 500 people in-person in the sanctuary and 600 joining online. Our choirs have been an amazing stabilizing force during the entirety of the pandemic; we are all deeply grateful to Gayle Sullivan, Amy Cooper, Robbie Jones, and our many amazing long-term lay ministry leaders.
Our columbarium is a beautiful space of healing and remembering for those who have passed.
Pastor Heather Harriss does amazing work with our congregational care and Sacred Path ministries. Heathers' beautiful eulogies honor lives and offer much hope.
Our live streaming team is doing great work and updating equipment to allow us to reclaim the balcony and improve technology! We are thankful for Bruce and the team of lay leaders that do such faithful work.
Our Young Adult Ministry continues to thrive; we are welcoming more college students than in many years. Emma Bushong is doing amazing work.
How beautiful to have such a large Belmont contingency at NOAH (Nashville Organized for Action and Hope) and to host events like the “Built on Faith'' summit. We are thankful for Pastor Ingrid McIntyre’s work in helping us strengthen paths of justice and engagement.
Our children came back into the building after 2 years in tents, on lawns, on Zoom; the reliance of both our staff and lay leaders is amazing. We give thanks for Pastor Kate Fields and everyone who leads.
I am so thankful for Mark Hagewood who leads our administrative team with such grace, skill, and wisdom and for Angie, Anne, and Sara.
I ask you to read the ministry reports from all ministry areas by going to belmontumc.org/charge-conference-reports to see many other celebrations and victories.
Perhaps the biggest thing we have to celebrate is our people. We are blessed with so many wonderful lay leaders. It is humbling to be part of such a wonderful, loving, dedicated, welcoming, wise, and hopeful team. I am deeply grateful for you all.