Ben’s Annual Report Letter
Dear Friends in Christ,
One of the hard things about writing an annual report is that church life often looks the same from year to year. This is my eighth annual report; for the eighth time I could list the fun we had with fellowship, the things we learned through Christian education, or the beloved saints we said goodbye to as they entered the Church Triumphant. Some years stand out—last year’s annual report was the first one I ever wrote about merging churches, and for 2020’s I had to figure out how to write about one month where, due to Covid, I hadn’t met anyone. But most years we have been busy doing good work, and things blend together. I don’t remember anything about the annual reports I wrote in 2018, 2019, 2021, or
2022. This year isn’t like that.
What stands out for me in 2024 is the process of building and implementing a vision for Evergreen. A huge amount of this was done by the Evergreen 2030 team, but it relied on extensive congregational feedback and guidance. Learning what brings you to Evergreen on Sunday helped us to understand who Evergreen is, and what we are doing in the world. In May, in time for Evergreen’s first birthday, we released a mission statement. Evergreen, we said confidently, is Christ-centered, spiritually-curious, and sent to serve.
But this wasn’t the end. Next, we were trying to figure out how a Christ-centered, spiritually-curious congregation goes about serving. We knew that the example set for us by Jesus was part of that-and the fact that Evergreen is a safe place to ask questions about faith was another-and in time the Evergreen 2030 team began to envision The Grove, a community of connection and learning in the Christian tradition. We began to imagine what kinds of programs might bring a world of lonely people together, and asked ourselves what kind of learning was needed to make connection real here.
And so, in August I began a certificate program in Spiritual Formation at the Earlham School of Religion. I was back in the classroom a few hours a week learning about spiritual life, honing my knowledge to help The Grove form. I continue that program in 2025 with great enthusiasm.
Around that same time, Evergreen 2030 knew that hosting the community for The Grove meant we needed changes in our building. And a building remodeling committee got to work, accomplishing a ton in just a few months. They laid the groundwork for changes coming in 2025 that will make our building more useable and presentable.
When I look at 2024 at Evergreen, I see energy. Yes-some of it came from Evergreen 2030 or the building remodeling team or from me. But in the midst of the tiredness that many of us feel-l’ve noticed it other places too. So many of you made the Earth Care festival happen, including many people not part of our earth care ministry. Deacons have gathered on Saturdays to make crafts, showing love and having a great time. Members have met to learn and grow deeper in faith. God is at work here— and so are you.
2025 will bring with it exciting changes. I hope we make time to rest, and time to celebrate. And I hope that, having done so much preparation and consideration, we are truly on the path God has set for us.
With hope,
Rev. Ben