In a couple of weeks, the Leadership Board will gather for our third annual retreat. We will head to Jumonville where we will stay in The Lodge for three days and two nights. Over that time, we will pray, discern, and wrestle with the voice and wisdom of God’s Spirit and where God is leading us. It is a joyful time where we get to celebrate the achievements of the Sewickley United Methodist Church and the wonderful things God has done through us. We will give God the glory for the people such as Steve Grossarth and Murch King and the ways their service to God was lived out in the life of our church. We will give God the glory for the people who still follow the conviction of the Holy Spirit to live out their discipleship through the life of our church. With gratitude for all who was, is, and is to come, we will seek to be the best stewards we can be. We will seek to not only be the best stewards of the people God has blessed us with but also the financial resources, physical resources, and time resources we have. The work will not all be fun or easy, but at the end of the three days together, we know it will be good work. Now we have a request from you; will you pray for us?
Here are ways you can pray:
For wisdom on the setting of our three God-sized goals for 2026
For clarity and efficiency with the setting of the budget and the supporting of it
For our own Spiritual wellbeing and growth
For safety on our travels
For strength in our relationships with one another
For clear and effective communication amongst the Board and back to you
For faithfulness and trust in God who guides us
Lastly, I ask you to join me in prayer for the 11 board members who will be there. This year, only two members are stepping off the board. Typically, three would come off, and three would go on. However, with one of our members moving, we added a new member this year in May. He will stay on and continue to serve. Thus, only two board members are coming off, and two are going on. Please pray for Jenine Furry, Lynn Colosi, Hurst Bartley, Johnathan Burnett, Kara Wayne, Michael Harris, and Amanda Pelphrey, who will be remaining on the Board in 2026. Pray also for Kristine Swaney and Jere Cowden, whose term will end this year. And lastly, pray for Shane Mills and Breonna Frisk-Miller, who will be coming on the Board for a three-year term.
To stay up to date on what your Leadership Board is doing throughout the year, you are welcome to connect in four different ways. One, the meetings are open meetings, and you are invited to join us, except for Executive sessions where we handle staff items. Two, you are welcome at any point to request the minutes from the meetings. Three, every month, Lynn Colosi writes an article for the newsletter giving updates about what we do. Four, you can simply reach out to any member and check in at any time. We are so grateful to serve Jesus alongside you and to be a part of this family at Sewickley United Methodist Church.
From one light to many others,
Pastor Hannah