From the Pastor
It is hard to believe that we have been partners in ministry for 3 years now. We’ve done a lot of great ministry together and endured a lot, like a boiler fire, elevator lightning strike and a pandemic. When hiring a new minister, we can set some expectations about what we think the new minister might do. Ministry transforms over time as we develop and live into our partnership and I network to maintain existing and develop new ministry partners. This is true as we learn and grow together and face the challenges of an ever-changing ministry context.
Below, I offer you a 3-year ministry report. It is a summary of some of the things I’ve done over the past 3 years as I have served as your minister. This is not exhaustive, but gives you an idea of how I do ministry to, with and on behalf of the congregation. I appreciate your support and challenge over the past 3 years and look forward with hope and grace to our continued partnership. (The report is further down in the Newsletter)
Your partner in Christ,
Pastor T
Children’s Worship Time
We have temporarily hired Rev Lisa Kay Comingore Smith as Children’s Worship Minister. She will lead the kids’ time of faith formation during worship. Pastor Lisa is an ordained Disciples minister who served the church many years ago while in seminary. Pastor Lisa brings to us the gifts of ministry experience and seminary training. We are not yet able to start Worship & Wonder and unable to find consistent volunteers for leading our children. Pastor Lisa will serve until we can make decisions about a long-term plan for our children.
** for all Zoom meetings, contact the office for participation info. **
TUESDAY BIBLE STUDY
Please join us for Bible study on Tuesday afternoon at 2:00 pm. There is an optional prayer time at 1:45p.
ELDERS MEETING
The next Elder’s Meeting will be Sunday, August 29th at 7:00p.
LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
The Leadership Council will meet on August 15, 7:00p
Kroger Rewards
May 1, 2021 to July 31, 2021
From only 10 households we managed to receive $45.09 in donations. Imagine if we ALL signed up!?
Pie the Pastor – donate food!
I’d like to challenge us to donate 1200 items to the Panorama food pantry during the months of August and September. If we meet this goal, we will do a Pie the Pastor event on Sunday October 3rd. On that day, after worship, we’ll go outside and 3 lucky people will get to throw a whip cream pie in my face!
The list of things needed for the food pantry are: small boxes of mac & cheese, pudding cups, fruit cups, applesauce cups, 1 lb boxes of spaghetti, small jars of spaghetti sauce, saltine crackers, instant oatmeal, cans of soup, small packages of instant potatoes, small boxes of instant rice, canned meat (tuna, chicken, spam, Vienna sausage). NOTE: a four pack of pudding cups, etc. will count as 4 items donated.
2018 – 2021 Ministry Report
CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP
- WORSHIP
- Leading and planning worship / preaching; led transition from in-person to online to hybrid worship
- Planned and led special services for Advent, Christmas, Pentecost, Lent and Easter; coordinated worship bags for Advent 2020 and Lent 2021
- Attended / officiated 11 funerals
- Officiated 15 weddings
- LEADERSHIP / MINISTRY DEVELOPMENT
- Led a strategic planning retreat and visioning work to develop a ministry plan and new mission statement
- Worked with executive officers to plan and implement the Leadership Council in January 2021; meeting monthly
- Met with Board and committees 2018 – 2020
- Participating as team lead in the Lexington Theological Seminary Thriving Congregations program 2020 – present
- Developed a Pastoral Care Relations team
- PASTORAL CARE
- Meet with Elders monthly
- Providing pastoral care averaging 20 contacts per month
- Worked with Elders to establish COVID protocols
- ADMINISTRATIVE
- Managed staff transitions for Minister of Music and Nursery Attendant, supervising Administrative Assistant, Custodian, and Organist
- Coordinate with church members for building maintenance
- Work with service providers to maintain service and contracts for building and equipment
- FELLOWSHIP
- Formed a Young Adult group
- Attended Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner in 2019
- Led trip to Cane Ridge and Greg Alexander’s retirement reception in June 2019
- Led virtual fellowship times and prayer groups in 2020
- Organized Pastor in the Park events in 2020
- FAITH FORMATION
- Leading Tuesday afternoon Bible study via Zoom 2020 – 2021
- Led Pastor’s class and new member class 2021
- Led 2 book studies on anti-racism work 2020 – 2021
- Led virtual Wired Word Bible study in 2020 and Spiritual Gifts study in 2021
COVINGTON COMMUNITY OUTREACH
- HOMELESSNESS / FEEDING MINISTRIES
- Assist with Saturday night community dinners when we serve
- Assisted coordinating donations to Welcome House, Women’s Crisis Center, Emergency Shelter and other local organizations
- Led Bible study at Covington Breakfast Mission community breakfast in 2019
- Assisted in warming hours in fellowship hall in January 2020
- Coordinated Porta John 3:16 installation in 2021
- COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
- Met with community leaders to establish relationships and learn about the community
- Member of the Covington Business Council since 2019
- Facilitated City of Covington Civic Dinners at the church in 2019
- Participated in the Covington Complete Count committee led by the Census Bureau in 2019
- Serving as a member of the City of Covington Code Enforcement Hearing Board as of July 2021
- Taught lesson at Scout meeting in October 2019, attended 2018 & 2019 Christmas parties and Festival of Lights in 2020
- Participated in the John G Carlisle Adopt a Class in 2019
- RACIAL JUSTICE
- Served as a faith leader on the coordinating committee of the Kentucky Poor People’s Campaign organizing in Northern Kentucky; served as host pastor for the Poor People’s Campaign MORE tour stop in Covington in October 2019, attended conference in Washington DC in June 2019
- Met with City Heights community leaders with KFTC in March 2021 to learn about housing issues in the neighborhood
- QUEER COMMUNITY
- Participated in the leadership and planning of the Tri-State Interfaith Pride services in 2019 and 2021
- Participated in Northern Kentucky Pride parade and booth for church in June 2019 and 2021
- Served as Board Member of the Love Must Win / GLAST organization 2019 – 2021
- Participated in Human Rights Campaign prayer service in October 2020
- Met with NKU social work grad students to discuss engaging faith communities for work with the queer community in June 2021
- SOCIAL MEDIA
- Member of the Progressive Clergy Tik Tok group
- MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY
- Offered video about mental health and faith for Mental Health America in September 2020
- Developing training with MHA for social workers on how to engage faith communities for mental health ministries
- RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
- Maintain relationships with recovery groups and other groups that meet at the church
- Building relationships with Northern Kentucky clergy colleagues
- Led Fiber Arts circles at church and Panorama Apts in 2018 – 2020
- Led worship monthly at Panorama Apts and weekly at Ivy Knoll in 2018 – 2020
- Attended Panorama soup sale in 2019
CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN KENTUCKY REGIONAL LEADERSHIP
- Meeting with District 7 Clergy colleagues
- Served on the Regional Restructure committee in 2019 – 2020
- Attended Boundaries Training in November 2019
- Serving on the Anti-Racism / Pro-Reconciliation committee 2020 – present
- Attended virtual Regional Assembly in October 2020
- Attended Anti-Racism / Pro-Reconciliation Seeing the Face of God training in March 2021
DISCIPLES OF CHRIST / GENERAL MINISTRIES LEADERSHIP
- Served on the National Benevolent Association Mental Health Initiative for 2018 – 2020; participated as panel member in webinar on mental health practices for clergy in 2018
- Attended Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) General Assembly in July 2019
- Attending Disciples Virtual Gathering in 2021
CONTINUING EDUCATION / LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
- Attended 6 online webinars 2019 – 2020
- Ministerial leadership coaching by Rev. Karen Fraser – Moore in 2018 – 2019
- Pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree at Lexington Theological Seminary 2020 – present
- Attended Festival of Homiletics in 2019 – 2020
- Took 2 classes at Walsh University in Statistics and Social Media Marketing in 2020
First Christian Church 