Building On Our Strength

“O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own.”

1 Chronicles 29:16

This week, we have the pleasure of welcoming Gina Lindquist to Easter’s staff. Gina will serve as our Director of Operations, helping manage and maintain the physical needs of ministry in this congregation. She’ll keep us tending to our facilities as we maintain, improve, and develop them to keep doing the good work God has for us. I’m so excited to have Gina’s talent, passion, experience, and wisdom at work with us.

It might feel strange to talk about adding staff to manage our facilities when we need to be so cautious about being indoors together. I’ve talked to many of you who have commented that you stopped coming to in-person worship or learning opportunities – or maybe never even got a chance to start back up before this current surge – because you’re doing your best to keep your household and community safe. Please hear me say this: thank you. You loving your neighbor by wearing a good-quality mask, keeping your distance, and getting your vaccine is some of the most important work you can do right now. I’ll deal with not seeing you for a bit so you can do that.

But the truth remains that we do still have two buildings with increasing improvement and maintenance needs. While we’re very aware of and grateful for digital options, we still need a physical location to house and sustain our incredible ministry. You might not be able to be in the building right now, but you will want these buildings to keep serving our community in the meantime. And still more, you’ll want these buildings to be ready to welcome you back once you’re ready.

I hope you’ll consider a few things to help make that possible. First, I hope you’ll hold Gina close in your prayers as she begins her work here. Her work will do so much good for the ministry we do.

Second, I hope you’ll make your financial commitment to giving to Easter Lutheran Church if you haven’t already. We’re still accepting Statements of Intent for giving this year. Capital improvement is a big part of what we want to do this year, and your gifts help us realize that important goal. Just go to easter.org/annualappeal to learn more.

Together, we can continue to support the buildings that make our ministry possible. It is our honor to care for what God has given us and to use it to God’s glory. Stay safe, stay well, and stay focused on what God is up to among us in person, online, at home, and in the world.

Let us pray:

God, you have gifted us with buildings and resources that we get to use to serve you and your people. Make us good stewards of these things, always caring for them well so that you would be glorified. Bless Gina as she begins her work to help us in this mission. Guide us all as we stay safe and follow your Spirit’s call among us. Amen.