I heard about a new book by Mitch Albom, The Stranger in the Lifeboat. I have read several of Albom’s books and immediately purchased this one. To no one’s surprise, the stranger in the lifeboat identified himself as “the Lord.” As is usual with a Mitch Albom book, there were multiple stories going on and a lot was left to the reader’s interpretation. I won’t go into all the nuggets I got from the book, but will only share the one that was repeated over and over: the Lord is always with us.
This isn’t anything that I didn’t know, but perhaps I needed the reminder. We are hopefully coming out of a challenging period in our church life. The pandemic kept us apart during which time several families drifted away from the church and there have been significant changes in our church staff. As I look toward 2022, I am hopeful that the challenging times are behind us and the coming year is full of opportunities. Throughout the challenges of the past and through the opportunities that lie ahead, God has been and will continue to be with us.
The children’s ministry at Parkway has decreased in numbers this year. Part of this is because our children are growing up and moving into the youth ministry. It is important that our Children’s Committee look into ways of improving and promoting our Children’s Ministry. We have always done our best to make Parkway a safe church where children felt wanted, cherished, and nourished. My hope is that will continue and that we will be able to grow from that base.
God is with us. Please join me in prayer for our Children’s Ministry. Pray for our Children’s Committee and for me. Pray for wisdom. Pray for guidance. Pray for Parkway to truly live God’s plan for us in the coming year.