An Appeal and a Progress Report
Dear Church,
It was so good to see our children return to school this week. Yes, the fall semester is here! I know that many of us are nervous about the fourth wave, but hiding in our caves is not the answer. What we need is a mix of courage and wisdom to get back to everyday life. Our church is busy getting ready for our children. When you come into the building from the Victoria Park entrance, there is an area for toddlers and kindergarten children on the right. We are expanding that area and changing the washrooms to make them much more friendly for children.
In-person worship services have resumed for KM young adults, high school students, and ethnic congregations. We will decide on the re-opening of the children's worship services after September. The roofing work is almost done, and the next project is paving the parking lot. The Vision chapel is getting a complete face-lift; the old carpets are gone and replaced with tile and hard-wood flooring.
While the church building is getting physical upgrades, I wonder if our faith is getting the same. My guess is the contrary. I feel like we have lost a lot of spiritual momentum during the 18 months of the pandemic. The recent low signup for the Discipleship Classes (KM) is evidence of what I am saying. We must not give up, but rather arm ourselves with God's Word and prayers to be the salt and light in the world.
I have been quite busy helping the City on a Hill ministry. As I wrote before, some members have left the church to plant a new church called Lighthouse Toronto Church, while others have stayed to rebuild the congregation. I am so thankful to God for the maturity of all CoaH members (whether leaving or staying) in handling this difficult situation with love and care. I pray that Lighthouse Toronto Church will have a significant impact on many people's lives for the Kingdom of God.
Last Saturday, there was a wonderful fellowship for all the leaders who stayed behind. About fifty of us gathered around the picnic tables in the parking lot for lunch and a chat. I also got to meet two families from the St. James Town congregation and brushed up on my Tagalog.
Moving forward, we will take the next six weeks to study the missional church and talk about what it means to be salt and light in the world. We will read through Christopher Wright's book The Mission of God's People (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010). Last year, I wrote a book titled From a Traditional Church to a Missional Church: the Road to Transformation in Korean. I will translate key chapters and present them to you. I invited all Leadership Team (LT) members and Life Group leaders, but anyone interested in this crucial subject can also join! Please do. (See more details in announcements.)
The Pastor search is underway, and I covet your prayers. The job description is posted on several online sites as well as on the CoaH website (link on the homepage). Please pray that the Lord will provide us with the right pastor to take this congregation to the next level. When we have suitable candidates, the LT members will screen and introduce them to the congregation. The final decision will be made at the Session. During the announcement time at this Sunday worship service, I will add further comments on the process of finding the suitable pastor(s).
Dear brothers and sisters, it is time for us to get back spiritually. We have lost a lot of spiritual momentum due to COVID-19 and the transition here at CoaH. We cannot just sit back. Instead, we must rise and face the challenge before us. We must not worry if we are fully vaccinated. While there is no such thing as one hundred percent protection, all of us should get vaccinated and strive to do everything we used to do: worship, small group meetings, praise, prayer meetings, education, training, service, short-term missions, and so forth. With God's help, we can!
May the LORD bless you.
Pastor Minho Song
