Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We are living in disorienting times. It feels strange not to gather weekly as a congregation. We praise God however, for the blessing of being able to engage in a weekly shared liturgy and to hear from our pastors from our homes. Although we cannot serve together in the usual ways; we are still serving the kingdom by donating much needed food and supplies to our partners in Detroit and opening the doors of our building for Rotating Shelter.

In times like these, we must cling to what binds us together as a covenant community – our shared baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. We are bound by our covenant bonds to do the work that Christ has for us here on earth together. And we praise God for the good work that continues through our church family, even in times of pandemic. There is nothing else anywhere quite like the Church.

Amidst the uncertainty and upheaval of the last several weeks, our church is facing unprecedented financial challenges that we must address. Currently, giving is lagging behind expenses, covering only 90% of our expenses. Current projections suggest that giving will continue to lag while we are unable to worship in person. Our Council met and approved a spending freeze and changes in hours for our hourly and contract employees. Our pastor’s roles have shifted, but they are continuing their full-time work.

Although we are not able to gather at 1717 Broadway, you can still partner with the church by giving your tithes and offerings electronically. You can donate via My Well online at mywell.org/give/aacrc or by downloading the My Well Giving app. Additionally, you can set up a payment using the bill pay mechanism from your online banking platform (this is free with most banks!). Lastly, you can mail checks to church or drop checks off to the locked office inbox just outside the church office. Thank you for continuing to give faithfully!

These are proactive measures that will help us continue to minister to our community and fulfill many of our most pressing financial obligations. All of these measures are difficult. Some of them may be only temporary. In these times, change is constant and Council will be re-evaluating these decisions frequently. The actions outlined above give us enough cash to continue to pay the bills through mid-August. All of this, partnered with your giving, best positions us to weather the current financial storm.

For the Council of the Ann Arbor Christian Reformed Church,

Bill VanderMolen, President

 

Missing the messy, beautiful, God-filled life of this space!