This past Sunday was such an exciting morning; it was such a joy to see more of your smiling eyes on campus! This Sunday night, we'll have important churchwide vote on next steps in our possible relationship with McElwain Baptist Church, and we also have a great next five weeks in our study of the book of Job!
Hello, church family!
This past Sunday we took a huge step forward in our Better Together plan, and it could not have gone better! Our two service times at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. provided plenty of space for many of you to worship in-person, some for the first time in months. Our staggered planning allowed for hundreds to meet in small groups all across campus. And, as we offered Sunday School for preschoolers, children, and students, you showed up in major ways to volunteer and invest in the next generation! As we move forward, we will continue creating safe and healthy spaces for our church family to meet with God and connect with others in real and personal ways. For more details about steps we’re taking and our new Sunday morning schedule go to shades.org/together.
This Sunday we also got some exciting news about the progress of our adoption of McElwain Baptist Church. Members of McElwain had a business meeting at the close of their worship on Sunday and voted to move with plans for adoption! With an affirmative vote of over 96%, they are excited about this possibility and eager to continue discussions.
Last night we met with our finance committee and deacons to discuss the findings of our due diligence work. After presenting what we know and some healthy discussion, both bodies voted unanimously to move forward with the adoption! So, what does this mean? What’s next? Tomorrow, Thursday, you’ll receive an email from me with details and answers to frequently asked questions about the McElwain adoption, and implications that it has on our current and future ministry efforts. Then on this Sunday night, September 20, we’ll have a churchwide business meeting at 6 p.m. in the Worship Center. There will be time for further discussion and then we will vote on whether or not to finalize the adoption with McElwain. Now I know that there are a number of you who will not be able to attend this meeting due to health risks related to COVID-19. It’s important that each member of our church family is able to be a part of this decision, so we will livestream the meeting at shades.org/live starting at 6 p.m. Those participating from home will also be able to submit questions and even vote online. All this to say, watch your inbox tomorrow for more details and make plans to be a part of the meeting on Sunday night at 6 p.m. This is a truly unbelievable opportunity, and I’m excited to share more about it with you soon!
Your response to our new sermon series on the book of Job has been so encouraging. As we continue the series this Sunday, we’ll take another look at how suffering, sovereignty, and faith work together for our good and God’s glory. We’ll celebrate baptism at both services too! It’s going to be a great morning! I look forward to seeing you either in-person or online!