Pastor's Note - May 19 
Most often I have one thought dominating my mind as I sit down to write this pastor’s note. This week, I have several, smaller thoughts. So here’s a scattering of what’s on my mind, related to CBC!
I’m excited for the Lollapalooza event on Saturday. I’m very grateful for the team and all the volunteers who are putting that together. While any funds we raise for this event will go toward the Sowing the Seeds campaign, I’m already wondering if we should make this an annual thing, and each year have a different fundraising focus. Maybe we make this a way to raise funds for our missions and ministry partners? I think it would be cool if this became an annual event and bright spot on our calendar, to which we all looked forward.
I’m excited to finally get officially started on the parking lot and basement project. Thanks to all of you who came to the town hall on Sunday. Your input is appreciated. I know some were concerned about the variable rate, but I think, as we heard, that the terms MB Foundation have laid out for us are very good and reasonable. It helps to know that the mission of MB Foundation is to fund ministry. So they are not out to make as much money off us as possible. They exist to fund the people and projects of the MB family, and I have no hesitation partnering with them. Also, as I write this, I think there are still a good number of our members who have yet to vote, one way or the other. I hope and trust you will do so by Sunday. We need to have the congregation’s input on this!
We are starting a new sermon series on May 29th. It is called “Questioning Our Faith: Answering Major Objections to Faith in Christ.” The goal is to provide some kind of biblical, gospel-centered answer to the objections people commonly have to Christianity. We haven’t done anything quite like this, and I am praying the Lord will use it to bless us. I was really thankful for the response cards the congregation filled out a few weeks back in April. You provided your answers to what objections often keep people from faith. Those answers were very helpful and illuminating, and helped shape the topics we will address in the series.
Lord willing, this will be the first “normal” summer we’ve had in a few years. That means things like camps and VBS and vacations are back on the schedule, which makes things feel both scattered and energetic. I’m already enjoying the change of pace. I’m particularly enjoying the number of people wandering in and out of the church building. It was pretty quiet for a few years there. It’s nice to see more people throughout the week, and the building a little more lively. I’m looking forward to what the summer will hold for us, and particularly how that will launch us into the fall. The Lord is always at work.