January is the beginning of a new calendar year. This means it is time to give an accountability report of Immanuel’s ministry last year. The year 2024 was a terrific year of ministry at Immanuel! Remembering and celebrating is an important motion at times like this. I am using this space to thank you for your part in 2024’s ministry successes through your generosity, prayers, and participation.
Recently, Immanuel’s contribution secretary, Lee Fast, sent 2024 giving records out for tax time. As you look through your generosity report, I want to thank you for your gifts to Immanuel. You may have given a one-time gift, or maybe you have committed to a recurring giving on a weekly or monthly basis. In your generosity you may have contributed through tithing, or our various special emphasis offerings to non-profits. Still others contributed with other tangible items like warm blankets, canned foods, clothing, and household items that benefited area non-profit partners, or Immanuel’s clothing closet and flea market. Every gift is important to Immanuel’s ministry presence and partnership with our community. If you are on the fence about participating in generosity at Immanuel, I want to welcome you to experience spiritual growth by joining us in giving, praying, and participating in ministry. Our goal is to resemble the community and spiritual care of the early church in the book of Acts.
In 2024 your generosity, prayers, and participation empowered Immanuel to partner with local nonprofits like Anchor House of Warren County, Unite Wright City, Wright City Community Food Pantry, AGAPE, and Warren County Warming Shelter, among others. Immanuel’s partnership assisted our fragile neighbors with rent, food, gas, utilities, sheltering, and spiritual care.
A big step of faith for Immanuel was having the financial confidence to hire me as a full time pastor for the entire 2024 calendar year. As a full time minister I have been able to network Immanuel as a valuable spiritual care resource to our greater community by my presence and input in local government meetings and to other non-profit partnerships. In particular, Immanuel financially contributed to my CPE (clinical pastoral education) Unit needed for ordination in the UCC. This was an opportunity to partner with Anchor House of Warren County (AHWC) to better understand their ministry of transitional housing to the unhoused veterans and fragile population of our county. Our network with AHWC will continue in our partnership to love our fragile neighbors well. Thank you for investment in me as your pastor. We have all benefited.
You can be proud that Immanuel’s historic campus has been open each Sunday with spiritual care and growth opportunities offering coffee and breakfast, Choir, Confirmation & Reaffirmation classes; Worship and Children’s Sunday School; and in 2024 began a 2nd Sunday Youth Group from 4pm to 6pm. Immanuel’s online presence on Facebook Live, YouTube, and our website is 24/7 with announcements, generosity links, Pastor Kim’s blogs, and an archive of online worship. Our online presence offers a valuable option when winter weather keeps us from opening the physical building.
And folks, I have to brag that Immanuel’s leadership and her people are fantastic people from across our community. Their giftedness is deep and broad with gigantic hearts to serve in the church and across the community in the name of Jesus. I am tremendously blessed to be your pastor! Each of you makes Immanuel the beautiful body of Christ that she is. You are simply the best!
Looking to 2025, Immanuel’s spiritual care and growth plans include the graduation of both our traditional teen Confirmation class and our adult Reaffirmation class. We anticipate more baptisms and membership Sundays. Parents are already signing up their children for our UCC summer camps, and Vacation Bible School is planned for this summer, along with plenty of seasonal events sprinkled throughout the year. New hymnals will be ordered in a few weeks to replace our current aging songbooks. Various building preservation projects will keep our historic church building going strong as a spiritual beacon along I-70. If you have a ministry that the Lord has laid on your heart that Immanuel could help with, please contact Pastor Kim or any of Immanuel’s Council Members.
Immanuel believes that gratitude and accountability are important. If you ever want to talk further about generosity and ministry at Immanuel, please reach out to me or anyone on the church council. We welcome your creativity.
Peace,
Pastor Kim
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