In 2020, we joined churches across the country in closing our building to in-person gatherings. However, even in the earliest days of the pandemic, we did not stop worshiping God and serving our neighbors. The very next week our free community meal moved to a drive-through meal, and that Sunday all of our worship was moved online.

 

Since then, we have continued to find ways to reimagine our church’s ministries. Our drive-through meal serves between 230-270 meals per week, and our student backpack program continues to serve families in need. Our Sunday morning worship now meets indoors, outdoors, and online. Through the summer we continued our free movies in the park, and we ended the season with BUM's Route 16 Drive-In Diner. Our preschool program is full and operates in a newly renovated preschool area. And we continue to meet with members of our church and community to provide care and comfort.

 

Although we have continued ministry, there is still much that we miss and grieve. We miss being all together for worship every week, and we especially miss the voices of choir leading us in song. We miss sharing meals around a common table and sharing laughter over donuts and coffee. More than this, we miss being able to laugh and cry together.

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As we look ahead, we do not only want to innovate but also to rebuild. We want to rebuild our music and choir programs. We want to use some of the new tools we have to integrate our children into the worship service in new ways. We plan to grow and develop new leaders in the church. We will continue to develop our various ministries to meet the needs of our community and grow our fellowship with one another.

 

Jesus once said, “Every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old (Mt. 13:52).” We want to be like the “wise scribe” by continuing to learn new ways to serve God and by rebuilding our longstanding ministries. By drawing from the old and the new, we pray that God would draw us closer to him, closer to one another, and closer to our neighbors.

 

We would like to invite you to join us in this endeavor by pledging your tithes and financial support. During this difficult year, God has provided for Brook United Methodist Church through your faithful giving and through the Paycheck Protection Program. As we look ahead, we need your support to continue loving God, each other, and our neighbors in old and new ways.

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Please prayerfully consider how you can support Brook United Methodist Church throughout 2021.