Pastor’s Report

2021 Began with a leadership zoom gathering where we celebrated the flexibility, adaptation, and innovation that took place in 2020 in spite of the global pandemic. We focused on being BOLD in 2021 knowing there was still a lot of uncertainty and change still to come. The leadership heard God calling us to be courageous and vulnerable with each other and with our community by: renewing our commitment to the challenge to fulfill our mission to positively impacting lives and our community through Jesus Christ; envisioning new ways to be a community where everyone is welcomed, loved, respected and valued; strive to grow spiritually by sharing our gifts and talents, serving others, to reflect God’s Grace; utilizing hybrid (online and in person) ministry opportunities to make new spaces for new faces; and leaning into a deeper relationship with our Korean Ministry, building relationship, and reaching out into our community. We recognize even in 2020 and 2021 there is still fear within the Asian community and we have work to be done towards racial justice.

We renewed our commitment to our online worship, but reinvested energy and resources into in person worship, both outdoor and eventually indoor. Recognized the need for passionate worship both online and in person, so that all persons might have a place to safely participate in weekly worship. Throughout the last year we were able to celebrate Christmas Eve and Easter. We have celebrated Holy Communion monthly, the baptism of children, and welcomed new persons into the body of Christ. This has all happened both online and in person. It has happened in formal and traditional ways as well as new and creative ways. Within all of it, our church reached new people. Some in official church membership, and traditional in person gatherings, but also people from multiple states, and new partners giving of their times and talents, in food share and the giving garden, helping us continue our hands on mission and ministry impacting our neighbors monthly.

This summer marked Aldersgate UMC’s 30th year in ministry in North Carrollton. In June we celebrated the past 30 years of ministry as well as continued looking out into the future. As part of the celebration, we welcome back previous pastors, Reverends, Vic Casad, Woody Willage, and Lyle Benson. As Part of our Celebrate Summer series, we continued our work in unifying our church’s worshiping body that every week worships in 3 languages.

Also this summer with a decrease in cases Aldersgate UMC sent youth out on a mission trip to Sherman Texas. Then on October 24 we will celebrate our Annual Fall

Festive (trunk or Treating) event with our neighbors. A night full of music, games, Kona Ice, Inflatables, and meeting our neighbors. We welcomed over 110 children, plus all the adults who brought them out for this special night.

This fall we launched a new confirmation class for 6 & 7 graders after taking a year off. And just 1 week ago, I had a zoom call with a couple whom I have never met in person, but have been worshiping with us online. They have infant twins and a two year old. The call was to discuss baptism and church membership. If this had been before COVID they would have been part of our Baptism Class and newcomers class, but in our new reality, I met with them, answered questions, and talked about the mission of the church via zoom. Now we are looking for a date in the near future when we can celebrate their 3 children’s baptism and help this young couple get connected to the mission of the church.

Even in the midst of the pandemic, the generosity of our church has stayed strong, allowing Aldersgate to have an impact inside the church, but even more in the community. We have continued to have monthly gatherings of “Open Arms. And Through our partnerships with both CCA and Metrocrest service, the Giving Garden, and Food Share programs were able to address the physical needs of our community. Helping to provide both fresh and organic produce, much needed groceries, as well as helping both a senior adult couple, and a young single man from becoming homeless. You collected over 1100 rolls of toilet paper for Metrocrest Services “Let it Roll Campaign” to collect 100000 rolls of Toilet Paper. We also were able to create 32 Cleaning kits in response to Hurricane Ida and the Bishop’s challenge.

So many great stories of impact have taken place through the people of Aldersgate UMC. We have so much to be grateful for. And at the same time, 2021 has had its challenges. I believe all of us were hoping for the pandemic to be over by now. Many of us dreaming of being back to the way church was in 2019. But the Core leadership and the staff know this is not possible.

Just like air travel in a pre 9/11 world was never going back. Did people fly again? Yes, but it has not been the same. We have to take our shoes off and carry only small amounts of liquids, gels, and aerosols. And as much as I don’t want to stand in long security lines and take my shoes, jacket, and belt off or buy tiny shampoos, we are not going back to what it was like before and thinking it will is irrelevant. If you want to fly, that’s what you have to do.

We are experiencing similar changes in the church. The COVID - 19 crisis accelerated trends and created some new ones. We have witnessed a decrease in worship. Yet, before March 2020 Aldersgate UMC didn’t have cameras or broadcast experience. Online church, small groups, meetings were a novelty, but have become universal.

Online shopping has permanently changed people’s buying habits. During this last year so many things shifted to home (work, school, shopping, church, fitness, and entertainment) that even as things have opened up, nothing will quite go back to exactly as it was before.

Our community and church has found a new rhythm of life, and while not wanting to stay there, we boldly and courageously keep looking for the parts we can recapture and what we can create anew.

Moving forward, then, the question becomes what do we focus on? Not looking back but looking forward. Seeing the mission field and through adaptation and innovation dream of a church without walls. Seeing our church not as a building, but the church as the people called Methodist who have and will have an “Aldersgate Experience.” Therefore with strangely warmed hearts, recognizing each person's gifts, talents, we might continue to be sent into the community to impact lives and our community through Jesus Christ.

Part of the journey ahead is for Aldersgate to gain clarity on where to focus in light of the changed world... We have already started work on alternative revenue streams, coaching for the Korean Ministry, and would like to begin the exploration process through the NTC on transitioning to a Simplified Accountability Model of church leadership in 2023.

Other areas of Focus...
* Creating / Clarify New Metrics

a. Engagement
I. Worship

II. Service
III. Giving
IV. Discipleship

* Focusing on things we can control and not what we can’t... I realize letting some things go is hard, but will be critical in helpings us find a sustainable pace.

* Aligning Staff & Our Congregations to New Strategies and to their gifts.

I am excited about 2022 and the ministry that is ahead for us all here in North Carrollton. I know we have a lot of hard work ahead of us, and the good news is that it is important and vital kingdom work and with God’s help we are going to find our new normal. We will impact lives, impact our community, and share the love of Jesus Christ in tangible ways.

I am excited about our team, both our lay leadership and staff. None of this would have been possible without your faithfulness, God’s amazing grace, and the wonderful leaders of the past 30 years that blazed the trail before us. There are many more stats included in your packet that I hope you will read and that has been submitted to the District Superintendent's office. It is with gratitude that I get to serve as the Lead Pastor of this congregation of the United Methodist Church.

Rodney C. Whitfield