Writing the Renewal Grant. . .
This week, I have been awash in words. Between the Renewal Leave Grant, two sermons, a Bible study, a newsletter article, and numerous emails, I feel like all I’ve done this week is write. Then, write some more. Then, write some more. Then… you get the idea.
But the hallmark achievement of the week has been completing the first draft of the Renewal Leave Grant. This accomplishment marks the result of many hours of work, data collection, meetings, and – you guessed it – writing. But writing was only the last step. Before then, we needed information from all of you, and you came through brilliantly. I was so impressed that we received almost 100 responses from the Renewal Leave Team’s Survey. The results from that survey really helped us to hear what it was that you, the congregation members of CtK, wanted and craved for yourselves and this community during the Renewal Leave. So, thank you!
Once we received that information, we tabulated the results and began forming a rough outline of what that Renewal Leave will look like. The results indicated that there was a lot of support and desire for more opportunities for congregational networking and fellowship and combined worship services; so that will be part of the plan. Also included will be ways to delve deep into understanding your spiritual gifts and how your gifts interface and interact with the gifts of others. A process for discovering your spiritual gifts and a follow up retreat to learn more about them will be part of your time together, too.
In the last week, then, the Renewal Leave Team has been hard at work crafting that language to be used in the actual grant. Once we have a chance to review it and edit it, we will present it to the Church Council at their meeting on March 10th. With their approval, it will be finalized and sent off to the Lilly Foundation for their consideration. We will know whether we are awarded the grant by late August. (Just a reminder: the actual Renewal Leave won’t take place until Summer 2021.)
Thanks for all of your participation and prayers. Keep ‘em coming!
Peace,
Pastor Tim