Midyear Update Recap
Hi COTC Family,
It was wonderful to be together this Holy Week and especially on Resurrection Sunday! We shouted “Allelulia!,” we sang our hearts out, and we feasted on the spiritual food that is the body and blood of our Savior, the risen Jesus. It was a riotous good time! As the Easter season continues this week and beyond, consider reading this interview from the New York Times with NT Wright by the Rev. Tish Harrison Warren exploring some of the meaning and ramifications of Jesus’ resurrection. It’s an encouraging read.
On Palm Sunday, we made an announcement regarding the “Thanks Be To God” campaign, the church’s current financial situation, and future plans for a second Sunday worship service. I want to reiterate the highlights of that announcement here:
Thanks to your generosity, the Parish Council was able to pay down our mortgage on the new property by $400,000 in February. This is a significant step in the church’s financial health.
We have allocated $55,000 over the coming 12 to 18 months to support Father Jonathan Kindberg and a Bilingual Missional Community in the St. John’s neighborhood. Email Jonathan for more information about supporting and participating in this work.
The Parish Council is finalizing an agreement with COTC member, Gary Wang, of Wang Architects, to lead us through a design process related to plans for the 8140 Exchange building and property.
Current Situation
Contributions to the TBTG campaign extended beyond our expectations, to over $1.7million in commitments over the coming three years. We are grateful to God for this generosity. Financial giving at COTC has never been higher.
Throughout this year, we have experienced dramatic growth in participation in Sunday worship, Neighborhood Groups, and community and discipleship offerings more generally. There is a vitality and momentum to our corporate life that we are thankful for. This Sunday, we are baptizing fifteen children!
At the same time, throughout the current fiscal year, our operational giving has been less than expected. This means we are running a deficit. While our last months have been stronger in operational giving, we are behind for the year by 7.5% of our planned budget. Without increased giving, we could run a deficit as high as 13%. The counsel we’ve received is that all of this is quite normal considering the steps we’ve taken with the property purchase, staff hires, and general growth at COTC.
The Parish Council and I want to ask for your prayers for the church’s financial situation, for wise stewardship and provision, and for the Holy Spirit’s prompting in how we all might respond generously and sacrificially to meet our operational needs. As the church has leveled up in some many ways we want to invite us all to consider we might level up in our contributions to our common life. COTC's online giving portal can be accessed here.
Second Worship Service
For the sake of hospitality and making room for others to participate in our shared life together in Christ, we are planning to add a second service of worship on Sunday mornings beginning in August or September.
We are planning that the full Garden program will be available for all ages during both services. This will allow for greater formation of the children at COTC and better use of our current space. More information will be coming out in the coming months.
Please pray for the staff and PC in preparing and planning for this. Please consider participating on one of our volunteer teams; adding this second service will increase our need for volunteers.
Adding a second service involves losses and gains. While it is appropriate to feel the sadness related to this change, this is also an exciting missional opportunity. Please be praying for the Spirit’s leading in this change and for others to taste and see the goodness of God with us as we make extra space and room.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns related to any of the above. We see a God of great abundance, who takes great care of us. We are grateful for Jesus’ Lordship over the life of the church, and his presence with us by the Holy Spirit. We are secure in Him, and can be confident of His guidance and provision as we seek to faithfully heed his call as a community of the Gospel.
In the Risen Christ,
Peter+
Ps. Please pray for the 30 women participating in our women’s retreat this weekend, focusing on Jesus as the Good Shepherd.
PPs. With baptisms this week, we’ll be utilizing a liturgical tool wonderfully named an “aspergillum.” This tool is used for the sprinkling of consecrated water. Following the baptisms the congregation is sprinkled with water as a reminder of our own baptismal vows, and of God’s faithfulness and goodness. You might get a little wet! Consider yourself forewarned and come ready to renew your allegiance to Jesus, the Risen Lord!