Fall greetings!
I wanted to take one last opportunity to personally thank you for giving to the CTK Blessing fund. (If you didn’t get my email to the congregation, my last day with CTK will be October 29th.) It has been a joy and a pleasure to lead our efforts as a church family to demonstrate the love, compassion and provision of Jesus to our local community!
As God’s people, you have shown me what’s possible when we think of our faith, not only as a personal relationship with Jesus, but serve Him together as Lord to make His Kingdom (His will, His way) visible here on earth as it is in heaven. Scripture tells us that God feeds the hungry and tends to the needs of the poor. And Jesus has invited CTK to be some part of how that happens in Whatcom County. Amazing…and beautiful!!
As the leadership of these ministries transition, I want to encourage you to remember that YOU are the church. It is your time, talents and resources that have built bridges into our community for the love and hope of Jesus to cross. If there are parts of our shared ministry in the community that matter to you, say so! Lean in, step up, ask God what new or next step of your faith in action He wants you to take next. If you’ve been on a Response Team, would you consider learning how to lead one? If you’ve been to the Farm before, would you consider making it a spiritual practice to serve there regularly. If you have a heart for the work done by one of our community partners, start asking the Holy Spirit how he might use you to strengthen CTK’s connection and ability to serve that partner well.
Church family, I bless you with conviction, faithfulness, and courage to sacrifice for the mission of Jesus Christ. There are so many people at CTK from different backgrounds, with different skills, abilities, talents, passions. If you all follow the Spirit’s leading, it is hard to imagine how He will organize you for maximum impact! We are part of something bigger than ourselves…it isn’t just a modern saying…it’s the Biblical reality of God’s church.
With much love,
Wendy Powell
PS Before I go, I’d like to introduce you to 3 of my heroes of the faith (think Hebrews 11). Sue, Kathleen, and Ruth are three women in their 80s who each year put in 1,600 hours collectively working at the CTK Farm. They wouldn’t call themselves leaders, but they have introduced MANY people to our work feeding the hungry and helped them find their place in it! They’ve taught me a lot, not by what they say, but how they live. They are no longer able to volunteer like before due to health issues, so I invite you to follow their example into the field to work for the sake of others. I promise it will change you and bring your walk with Jesus to life!
