The following is Pastor Dan's report on worship for the Renton Bible Church Annual Meeting March 21, 2021
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” The opening lines from Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities seems the appropriate way to begin our worship report for 2020. Truly, we started on a jubilant note with our very first worship service in our new sanctuary (2/9/20). What an awesome celebration of all God accomplished in our body! With the advent of Covid, however, our worship went in a direction we never could have anticipated. A worship service without any congregants physically present? Preaching to an empty sanctuary? An entire congregation worshiping virtually? Yet, in spite of the very strange journey 2020 has taken us on, we must rejoice in God’s faithfulness. Certainly, we are grateful for the protection we’ve experienced from Covid. A handful of our members have been sickened, but none seriously. And God has preserved us from any outbreaks. Yet, by His grace, every Sunday at 10:30am found us praising God in the sanctuary and preaching the Word. Granted, it’s taken many forms, from worship with the Von Gannon family (plus techs) to socially distanced worship to worship with a single vocalist and pianist. But week in and week out, worship has continued and our body has gathered whether in-person or on-line. It goes without saying that one of the most significant blessings of this strange time has been the way our faithful tech workers have enabled us to live stream our services. I cannot begin to tell you how many struggles I’ve heard about from fellow pastors regarding their live streams. Of course, we would have survived if we had such struggles. Yet, the level of success we’ve enjoyed technologically has been such an encouragement. Praise be to God! The blessings haven’t been confined to preaching and praise. It’s been so encouraging to be able to offer children’s programming each Sunday in Kids Grow, thanks to our faithful volunteers. It’s also been encouraging to see the many who have continued work on our expansion, including a whole lot of painting and the installation of a beautiful cross. Certainly, we rejoice in the special celebrations we’ve been able to take part in including the beauty of baptism and the commitment to growing together in the welcoming of new members. It’s hard to say what 2021 will look like. Our prayer is that we will be able to see all of our Sunday morning ministries fully functioning to the glory of God! After a 2020 Easter service limited to virtual attendance, we are so grateful, for 2021, to be able to offer an in-person (and on-line) celebration of Christ’s death, on Good Friday, and His resurrection, on Easter Sunday. And though postponed for more than a year, we are looking to October for the opportunity to have an official celebration of the completion of our building expansion. Certainly, there are still many unknowns as to how our ministries will continue in 2021, but like the old saying goes, “I may not know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.” God knows…and it’s all in His faithful hands. With thankfulness for all who help to bring us before the throne week in and week-- Pastor Dan Elder over Worship
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Dan GannonDan has ministered at Renton Bible Church, with his wife Debbie, since 2003. Archives
June 2022
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