A Note from Pastor Andrew

“Be still and know that I am God.” -Psalm 46:10

I spent a lot of June and July working to “be still.” During my leave of absence, which I am incredibly grateful for, I spent more time reading and reflecting, more time with my family and focusing on my mental health. I worked through a lot of grief and depression. Though my time away allowed me to find some peace, I really missed the relationships with my church family and I’m excited to be back... and with a new title: Pastor of Faith & Community Formation!

After the Pastoral Position Description Task Force assessed the current and future needs of the congregation earlier this summer, they found that we could be more intentional about developing community through more small groups. In fact, small groups are often how people build deeper connections in their church family because Sunday mornings don’t always allow the time to do that. Now some of you may be asking yourselves, “Why did we change it from Pastor of Congregational Outreach and Mission? (My previous title). We’ll still be focusing on mission and outreach. What small group ministry allows us to do is create opportunities to invite others outside this congregation to get to know us before stepping into church on a Sunday morning. That might not seem like a big deal, but it can help those who struggle with the anxiety of meeting new people and stepping into a new church (especially if they’ve never been to church). You might also be asking, “What new small groups might we be seeing?” I’ll tell you!

• Cheer Squad! An intergenerational group devoted to encouraging our high school students at sporting events and concerts! Our high schoolers are really busy so this is an opportunity to meet them where they’re at. And afterward, we can get ice cream! If you would like to be a part of this corps of volunteers

  contact Pastor Andrew.

• LifeSkills 101: Long gone are the days of Home Ec. This is a way to teach our youth all the “How To’s” that are really important when they’re on their own. The teachers? Our own members will be able to teach them basic first aid, car maintenance, home repair, cooking, sewing, gardening, and more! And if they already know those things, maybe they can invite their friends who want to learn

  some valuable life lessons. More information to come.

• Breakfast Club: A weekly gathering for our retirees, stay at home parents, or early risers for work at the McDonalds at Belden every Friday from 7:00-8:00am beginning on Friday September 13.

• We’re So Board: A monthly board game night for adults who just want to have fun. Milestone in Canton, the Dragonfly Winery in Canal Fulton or at someone’s home are just a few of the places we can roll the dice. If you’re interested in participating, contact Pastor Andrew.

• Thursday Night Bible Study: Since we have our weekly study in Belden we thought we should add one in Louisville. We’ll meet at UnHitched Brewing every Thursday night at 5:30 for dinner, drinks, conversation around life and God’s word. Our first meeting will be Thursday September 12. Feel free to

  reach out to Pastor Andrew if you’re planning to attend.

• Friends In Faith: We’re rebooting this group again since Covid threw a wrench into our meetings so be on the lookout for upcoming events!