March 15, 2021 Update
March 15, 2021
A note from Anne Yates-Laberge, Director of Operations on the one year anniversary of closing our building’s doors.
Hi everyone,
It's hard to believe, but today marks one year since Hillhurst made the difficult decision to close our doors and transition to online services.
What a year it's been.
At this time last year, the Living Spirit community went through a tragic experience, with many congregants becoming sick with COVID-19 and some later losing their lives. Please keep the Living Spirit community in your prayers at this one-year mark.
There have been both heartbreaking moments of loss and joyful memories made over the past 365 days. I want to reflect on the year and say a huge THANK YOU to all of you for 'joining us on the journey' of the past 12 months.
As you can imagine, it hasn't been easy not seeing and feeling the congregation's presence within the walls of Hillhurst. Many of whom have been sharing coffee, laughs, music, and stories in this building for years.
John has spoken from the pulpit for 30 years, seeing faces and feeling emotions directly, preaching to hundreds of people squished into uncomfortable pews. Delivering a sermon every week to a tiny camera lens has been nothing short of devastating for him. We are all grateful for his tireless example of leadership and commitment to the congregation week after week. I truly can't stress how much of his heart and soul he pours into this work, and the natural gifts he has that make us so lucky to have him as a leader and minister.
John, myself, and all of the staff have been stretched this year, working longer hours, solving new problems, and trying to find balance. I want to thank all 17 members of our staff for their commitment to excellence amidst new challenges. Everyone has grown in their roles, and John and I are so proud. We have a great team.
Despite the challenges of doing church in a global pandemic, there were many times throughout the year that our community came together to support one another — for example, the Thanksgiving outdoor service, the Lights of Love luminaries, our community nativity, and the Heart of Hillhurst display. Our absence from the building has not taken away our community; it has made us stronger.
These moments of connection could not have happened without the support of our extremely dedicated volunteers. This year, our volunteers made phone calls to the entire congregation, hosted COVID funerals, supplied meals, helped with admin work, led ministry groups, planned worship with John, and more. I also want to give a special mention to the musicians in our congregation who volunteered their time and talent to safely record songs that added beautiful music to our Sunday services. Thank you to all our volunteers who shared their gifts with us this year.
The staff and congregation have also been deeply supported by our Board of Directors and our Ministry and Personnel (M&P) Committee. Having almost daily touch-points with these groups of volunteer congregants has helped John, myself, and all of the staff feel supported and guided in this time.
These days, I feel like I'm holding my breath in anticipation of being together again, as we start to see signs of things improving — more people are getting vaccinated and cases are decreasing. This is so exciting!
With this in mind, we have plans to allow small groups to gather in the building as the first phase of our relaunch. We will continue to keep you updated on any proposed timelines of when we can be together again.
Our main goal is to safely host in-person events in controlled numbers, while not limiting those who feel more comfortable online. Most of our ministries will be offered in a hybrid environment, meaning there will be an option of online or in-person participation. I am so grateful for the technology that allows this to happen. We also have a comprehensive understanding of the impact that the pandemic has had on mental health, so we plan on creating several new support groups around this.
Over the past 365 days, I've seen our community grow deeper roots and stronger branches. THANK YOU for coming along the journey with us. For showing up online Sunday after Sunday. For attending mid-week groups on Zoom. For volunteering, coming to an event, posting in the Hub, or emailing us your encouragement and feedback. For supporting us and supporting one another.
I cannot WAIT for the day that we can all be together again, safely. Until then, please consider joining a group, our congregational care team, or a prayer group. I would WELCOME an email from you about what you're interested in, and I can help connect you more deeply.
Big virtual hug,
Anne Yates-Laberge,
Director of Operations
P.S. Email communications@hillhurstunited.com and tell me what church has been like for you over the past year, so we can collect stories from this significant time in Hillhurst's history!