2020: The Year in Pictures
It is
with great joy that I write this blog as a testimony of God's
faithfulness. Even in the darkest times we can see Him at work. While
the COVID environment created limitations and hardships, God created
streams of mercy that enabled us to continue to be a channel of
blessing to our community.
Towards
the end of March, we shut down hard. All of our campus churches went
online. Jubilee Academy went to remote learning. Our Early Learning
Center closed and all campus activities were suspended. We did not
know how long this would last.
I soon
received an email that put us back into play. A lack of open
childcare centers created a crisis for medical workers who were
unable to return to work. Our newly hired daycare director, Kathleen,
quickly went to work and, in two weeks, we had the equipment,
protocols and training to reopen.
In order
to stay close to our members in this age of social distancing, we
commissioned our deacons and Stephen Ministers to be Phone Angels and
make weekly check in calls to all our members. Robert Newman, our
Archangel, and Minister to Adults, kept it running smoothly. He,
also, created paths for online ministry so our worship and Bible
study would continue.
Thanks
to Jonathan, our Executive Pastor, we continued to improve our
infrastructure to save money and enhance ministry delivery.
Jonathan's most visible accomplishment was the completion of our
inclusive playground. Work days continued in January as the equipment
began to arrive. Construction is essential work, so it continued
through the Spring and Summer. We dedicated the first inclusive
playground in the Southside to God's glory in October, as a testimony
of God's love for all His children. We received nearly $250,000 in
cash, material and labor to make this happen.
In 2020,
we collected and distributed over 55,000 pounds of food. During the
shutdown Daniel, our Minister of Outreach, delivered food directly to
our clients who were in greatest need and lacked transportation.
David and Bertha led the way in determining ways to provide ministry
through our thrift store and pantry in a safe manner.
Uncertainty
caused many churches to cancel summer travel plans but we still had a
40 member team from Lee's Summit FBC stay at BT this summer. We also
had five summer interns who assisted in worship and a variety of
other tasks.
A
partnership with No Place Left expanded our disciple-making efforts.
No Place Left is a network that seeks to preach the gospel to the
ends of earth until there is no place left that has not heard. A
group joins us on Thursday mornings to prayer walk in our
neighborhood and has provided training for our leaders. In the Fall
we hosted a No Place Left residency for seven people (six are
ministry students). The residency provides advanced training for
evangelism.
We
returned to worship in our sanctuary in May, with the new protocols
in place. We maintained space between family groups, wore masks and
avoided hand shakes and hugs. The 30 minute service reduced the
amount of singing and the offering plate was not passed.
Soon
Family Deaf Church, Sunny Slope and Rise Above returned. Another
church, New Direction, started meeting on our Campus. (The Message
and Life Change still have not returned.) Other groups began to
return, including Jubilee and youth basketball clubs, all with new
safety procedures.
Although
it seemed to be a quieter year, much was accomplished. A group from
the community has started working on the community garden, ensuring
its beauty and utility. Under Kathleen's leadership the Early
Learning Center not only survived but revitalized the after school
program and helped us acquire a van to pick up kids from other
schools.
All
this was made possible through your prayers and financial support.
Thank you for your faithful partnership that sustained us through a
difficult year.
Behold,
I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not
know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And
rivers in the desert.
Isaiah
43:19 NKJ