Can I take a moment to brag about our church?
We received a wonderful letter this week from someone who recently made her way to worship with us at Park — all the way from British Columbia, Canada. Just thought I’d share it with you so you know that who we are as a church matters.
Dear Park Avenue Church, I wanted to reach out and say thank you for welcoming our group so warmly on October 15th! I am one of the clergy folks in the small crowd that descended upon you unannounced that morning and was thoroughly delighted and impressed at how wonderfully and graciously we were welcomed. Several people said hello before and after the service, we were introduced to some of the ministers and I know I felt like we'd been given a big hug! Not every church is great at hospitality so kudos to you for being one that actually is. Your vibrant congregation, fabulous music and compelling message made my experience of Minneapolis that much richer, and I wanted to tell you how much I appreciated it. Bless you all in your amazing ministry! Jennifer
I don’t know about you, but knowing about her experience at Park just makes me so happy. It makes me happy about you and about who we are together. And especially in a world in which so many have felt unwelcomed in certain spaces (including in churches), it makes me happy that Jennifer and her friends felt like they’d been given a big hug.
“Reach out and welcome one another to God’s glory,” Paul says in Romans 15:7. “Jesus did it; now you do it!”
Well done, Park Avenue Church!
Much love to you,
Pastor Gregg
P.S. We’ve entered that period when we all get to estimate our giving for the following year. This is a big help in terms of planning our annual church budget.
Think of it in terms of your home budget. When you have a good idea of how much money you have coming in, you know how much you can spend on things like rent, groceries, utilities, and gas for your car. It’s the same concept with our church. When each of us indicates how much we intend to give to Park in 2024, we then have a good idea of how much can be allocated for all the things it takes to make our church work, including all the great ministries and programs.
Beginning next week, watch for more information on how you can estimate your giving for 2024.
