Leap of Faith
Why taking a leap of faith through committing to renewing our Ministry Wing is so important, and why it is also just part of who we are as Midvale!
I began my work with Midvale in 2000 during a time of transition. There was an interim pastor and no paid program staff. Membership had been on the decline. There were only a handful of children present, but there was hope and a vision of what Midvale could become in its next phase.
Thanks to lay leaders who were faithful and hardworking, thanks to the pastors that were called to guide us, thanks to our openness to listen to the Spirit moving us to be intentional in our relationships and innovative in our programming - we tried new ways of doing ministry.
One key example was moving Vacation Bible School to the evenings so that the whole family could attend together. Parents could participate in learning with their child or they were available to volunteer their time outside of their work day. Our families felt supported and we grew.
That led us to move to a rotational model of Sunday school which allowed children of different learning styles and abilities to find a space where they fit best. It also meant that instead of asking adults to commit to a whole year of teaching, we were asking if they could give a couple weeks of their time. Our children felt seen and our adults felt affirmed and we grew.
In 2010 when we completed the remodel of the Sanctuary, Gathering Space and Fellowship Hall, the community felt invited and we grew.
In 2016 in response to the growth that we were seeing, our congregation started identifying what kind of changes we needed to make to the Ministry Wing to keep up with not only our own ministry needs but the requests from members and community groups that are in need of places to gather.
With this project, some of the upgrades will improve our environmental efficiency like insulation and a new roof. Some of the upgrades will increase our comfort - like adding air conditioning. Some of the upgrades will convey welcome with warm lighting and openness.
As we dream into Midvale’s next phase I am so excited that all of us who are part of Midvale will benefit from this project. But I’m equally excited to imagine all of the people who aren’t yet gathered here - those looking for spiritual direction or looking for a community to belong to, that because of this project they will see we are dynamic, and they will be curious. When we build to serve we will continue to grow and I can’t wait to be a part of what that looks like! Thank you for your commitment to make this project a reality!
Brenda is the director of children's, youth and family ministry at MCLC.
