I can’t believe that we are already near the end of January. February is just around the corner. With it, Valentine’s Day, Family Day and, before you know it, Easter will be here.
Last April, I began a Maternity Leave position as Care Ministry Coordinator here at CLA. I worked alongside Pastor Rachelle Lefebvre. She guided me before she gave birth to her beautiful little girl, Maisie. As I immersed myself in the role, I found myself growing in so many ways. Things that I once feared were the very things that I learned to embrace and grow in.
In July, after serving so wonderfully as the Thrive Seniors Pastor/Coordinator and the Widow’s Group for approximately 20 years, Arlene Trauter retired. Pastor Derrick asked if I would lead the Senior’s Ministry until there was a permanent pastor in place. Again, I faced another fear, and accepted the role of overseeing the Senior’s Ministry with my husband, Ray. As each week went by, I grew to love and admire our wonderful seniors. Every Tuesday we gathered for a time of prayer, worship, and a Bible study taught by a guest speaker. Between 55-70 seniors attended each week, which was so wonderful to see. We also hosted mostly Friendly Fridays, where almost 100 seniors gathered. These gatherings included a time of worship, a guest speaker, and a delicious, catered hot meal.
At Christmas, we had two wonderful events: Carols by Candlelight, which gathered almost 120 people, and the Thrive Christmas Banquet, which was enjoyed by almost 170 people. They were both meaningful gatherings, creating more moments for community building as we celebrated our Lord’s birth.
In December, Pastor Derrick asked me to take on the permanent role of Seniors Pastor, and I happily accepted. I have enjoyed planning the Winter/Spring semesters of our weekly Thrive Bible Studies and the Friendly Friday events. I am very excited for these upcoming gatherings. Please check out the CLA website for more details about all our seniors’ events.
If you are retired, you are welcome to join us each week at 10 am on Tuesday mornings for our Thrive Bible Study taking place in the Conference Hall. We would love to have you with us as you build new friendships and grow in your faith with others.
