Dear siblings in Christ,
The past week was full of the highs and lows of parish life here at Church of Our Saviour.
And life continues on, even during a pandemic. On Wednesday, Hannah Riley returned from vacation (for one hour) to preach an absolutely beautiful homily at our weekly Healing Service. Some of the hope and comfort I (and others) received from her message fell away as we learned of the passing of Alan Kreditor, beloved and longtime member of community. Our hearts are with his family, and with the family of Kathleen Stewart, whose life we celebrated on Saturday.
On that day also I officiated at the wedding of a young couple who live in Long Beach, before we ended the da
y in prayer at our well-attended Saturday 5 pm service. Then on Sunday, COS hosted three services (one
outdoor and two streaming) as well as an adult forum before our Deanery gathered in anticipation of Convention. The day ended as individuals met with their Circle of 8 groups.
The work of the church has not gone away, and neither have we. Even as circumstances change, the Church of Our Saviour’s witness in the San Gabriel Valley continues to shine brightly.
Next week, you
should receive in the mail a pledge card for COS’s 2021 Annual Giving campaign. We are asking that you return it to us by November 1st, in order to facilitate our budgeting for the coming year. We know that all of us are in different circumstances than we were 365 days ago. Some of us may not be able to give at the level that we did last year. Conversely, some may find themselves more able or inclined to give than last year.
Included in this letter is a Zoom chat between myself and parishioner Juli Kennedy. Please take a moment to watch her testimonial on what giving means to her.
Wherever you find yourself today, I thank you for being a part of this church. We are better because you are with us. I ask you to prayerfully consider giving your time, talent, and treasure to Church of Our Saviour in 2021, because life continues, and the work of the church continues. Would you please join us?
Faithfully,
Jeff+