Dear Saints of New Covenant Community Church,
These are strange times in our churches across the country and in the world, and we certainly wish to share with you our love and support. While our circumstances are indeed different and certainly not optimal, nevertheless this present reality of uncertainty, fragility, and social distancing can even serve as a vehicle for God’s love and grace. So let me invite you to lean into the presence and love of our Lord, and let us consider how we can sustain and edify one another. After all, when we focus on scarcity or fear, our anxiety will increase. But when we focus on shared commitment, supporting each other, and generosity, the more our trust and hope will grow.
Accordingly our Governing Board is encouraging you to be generous with your patience, to be generous with your care, and to be generous with your support of the church. Our church continues to operate with the faithful contributions of our members and friends. Traditionally, April has been a busy month for collections from Sunday offerings to special donations. To that end, persons may do one of the following: mail offerings and other collections to the church — NCCC, 1587 W. Exchange St., Akron 44313, or drop off contributions in person to a new lock box that will be installed by March 27 and located outside the entrance facing the parking lot. Our mailbox and lock box will be checked frequently.
Collection wanted/needed now:
- Your Sunday offering
- Donation to the Presbyterian One Great Hour of Sharing, normally collected on Palm Sunday (April 5) and Easter (April 12).
- Donations to the 2020 Hunger Walk. Actual walks in N. Canton and Fairlawn cancelled, but the need is greater than ever. As in past years, you may write a check to NCCC with “Hunger Walk” in the memo line. You can handle your donations this way through Sunday, April 26. After that, a check from the church will be written to AAIC Hunger Walk along with the $300 check from the Missions Committee. On May 3, the former date of the walk itself, Nancy Williams will bring our contributions to the Unitarian Universalist Church, 3300 Morewood , and along with a few others from AAIC will be receiving other church donations, counting money, and receiving any canned goods people want to drop off. Time is between 2-3 that afternoon. Another way to donate is online on the AAIC website — akroninterfaith.org. Click on Hunger Walks and follow the prompt. Unlike in past years, you can specify your congregation. From the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank — 1 in 7 people in Summit Co. are hungry, and 1 in 5 kids are suffering from a lack of food (probably more now). Last year our congregation donated $2030 that translated to more than 8000 meals! While we all miss the actual walk and fellowship time afterwards with the different faith groups, the monetary need is greater than ever.
- Lastly, the scheduled book fairs at Portage Path and Case in May that we agreed to support this year are up in the air. Our Missions Committee was allotted $1500 plus the $71 raised last week from the non-election bake sale. We have always had contributions from our members — this year to support not one but two book fairs. At present, we know nothing about reschedule dates.
FOR ALL CONTRIBUTIONS INCLUDING YOUR SUNDAY OFFERINGS, PLEASE MARK IN THE MEMO LINE WHAT THEY ARE FOR — Offering, One Great Hour of Sharing, or Hunger Walk.
Friends, together we are first and foremost a people of faith, and we affirm our trust in God. As we seek to share and utilize the gifts that God has entrusted to us, let us endeavor to exercise them fully as we continue to make adjustments in our schedules. Yet, in all of this, we hold two core values of our faith — in all things, we belong to God, and in all things, we seek to love God and to love our fellow human beings. Continue to “stay tuned” as we share our news of our congregation . . . and if you have any particular prayer requests, please forward them to us. May God embrace you with love, grace, and peace.
May the Lord be with you!
Yours in Christ,
John Miller
Jim Strandberg
Ruth Anderson
Tim Meyer
John Sezna
Nancy Williams
Tom Ulrich