It was a celebration!

For some of my friends who lead large churches, the day of the Annual Church Business Meeting is one of the worst days of the year.  It can be a day of uncertainty, strife and division within the local congregation.  It can be a day when politics within the church raises its head.  It can be a day when the mission of the congregation gets lost in the details of the business of the congregation.  It can be discouraging.  Many people experience that within their local congregations.

At Orchard we had our "annual business meeting" on Sunday evening.  We call it the Annual Church Celebration.  It has become one of our very good days as a congregation.  We have moved the focus from doing business to celebrating all that God has and is doing within our local congregation.  We had 225 of our leaders and congregational members together to worship, share and pray for our staff and our church leaders.

It was a blast with outstanding and moving worship.  George and Judy Marshal, who are the pastors of our partner congregation Harvest Vineyard Church, said to me, "That was great worship!"     People told moving stories about their children coming to Jesus, about their college students being saved from destruction, about the Youth Art Team and its huge mural, about the Connect and Care Team who visit shut-ins and others who are struggling.

It was powerful.

We have chosen to do our business by mail in ballot which then allows for our current practice which is to celebrate all that God is doing in and through Orchard.  In the above picture people are choosing from many desserts and appetizers.

Here I am interviewing Angie and Elna Dieken about our merger with Lincoln Center and how they see this transition.

Here Maribeth Boelts and Jo Dorhout are encouraging our staff and preparing to lead our congregation in a prayer of help and encouragement for our staff.