A year ago we looked back on 2020, and I said that the word of the year was adaptability. We certainly learned the skill of adapting and trying new things as we dealt with the realities of the worldwide Cornonvirus pandemic.
I would say that these last 12 months were defined by two words: perseverance and generosity.
Winter Storm Uri
Just as we began to get our feet under us and to return to in-person worship and activities, Winter Storm Uri arrived in Texas. Over the course of 4 days, close 10 million people found themselves without power and the state of Texas was gripped by a once-in-a-generation cold snap.
On February 17, one of our staff members walked into the building to discover water pouring down from the ceiling in the office.
All of the office furniture was soaked. Up to two inches of standing water spread through the offices, out into the hallway, and into the kitchen and our Worship Space.
Once again we were unable to worship in-person in our building. We started down a path of recovery that day which continues right up until the end of the year.
Right when we thought we were at the end of a crisis, the unpredictability of weather through another crisis at us. And we persevered.
Renovation Project 2021
Work began immediately!
The day we discovered the flooding, people showed up to help. Members of our church and our neighbors showed up to help get the water and the destroyed office supplies out of the building.
We engaged United Restoration to help us with the project, and they began the demolition to prevent the damage from getting even worse.
Our Leadership Team appointed a Design Team of myself, Carole Rock, Lori von Heyking, and Zoraya & Allan Stern to guide the renovations. We were excited to begin this renovation project and hoped to see the end of it by the summer.
A number of factors caused the project to stretch through the entire year:
- Negotiating with insurance on the scope of the damage.
- The sheer volume of repair work to be done at other churches and homes in the Houston area created a shortage of BOTH labor and supplies at various times.
- Supply line difficulties with getting materials.
People both within our congregation and beyond responded generously!
Donations came in from our members and from around the country, allowing us to ensure that this project was completed in the best ways possible for the future of our ministry. Members of our community continued to volunteer their time in amazing ways as we guided this project and did other work around the building.
Joyful people really do live generously! The gifts of financial blessings and also of time and energy mean that we have done an amazing thing.
On February 17, we encountered a disaster.
Together we took that disaster and turned it into a blessing for future generations that use this building and for all the ministries that use this space.
Growing Deeper
Throughout 2021, we continued to grow deeper in relationship with God and with one another.
Through Bible Studies, small groups, and social time we reconnected with each other after the long absences of the pandemic. We found new ways to worship, to learn, and to serve.
We learned that the church is so much more than the building!
As we worshiped alongside new people in-person as construction continued, we also worshiped with people from around the world online.
And in the middle of our disaster, we reached out to help others — because that is what it means to be the church! In May, 750 families in this community received a letter informing them that their medical debt had been forgiven thanks to the generosity of the members of Spirit of Joy! These were people whose medical debts were far more than they could afford to pay, and we were able to give them a fresh start and a new beginning. That is GOOD NEWS, and what it looks like to “Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
While we were not able to worship in-person in the ways we were used to, our building did not sit empty. Our preschool ministry continues to thrive, serving the community. And since March 2020 we have had recovery groups (Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-anon) meeting in the space at least 5 days a week.
Goodbyes and New Beginnings
In 2021, we said goodbye to many old friends.
This Falll we mourned the death of our friend Bill Wietstruck. Bill had been a part of this community since the very beginning, and had used his talents to help make the Altar, Baptismal Font, Lectern, and more. He was a Sunday morning fixture, sharing the gift of his music and joyful spirit.
Other friends moved away, as work and family took them to new parts of the country. Still others found another faith community in which their faith could blossom. We mourn each of these losses, and give thanks for the time that we shared with these friends.
At the same time, we reconnected with old friends across the country who found our online ministry. New people heard about our ministry and work, and jumped in with both feet to be a part of this community of work.
As of December 2021, despite pandemic and natural disaster and more, the number of people actively involved in our ministry in this place has grown. We have persevered through these changes to discover that God is up to something amazing and exciting here!
Looking Ahead
I have never, at any moment, been more excited to be a part of a church than I am to be a part of what God is up to at Spirit of Joy! right now.
2022 will be a year of new beginnings for us.
If you have not already done so, please download the Spirit of Joy! App to your mobile devices. As we re-start, re-connect, and re-new, the SOJOY App will help us to stay connected to one another.
What are some things we can look forward to this coming year?
- Returning to a building that has experienced a complete overhaul.
- Re-starting faith formation activities for children, youth, families, and adults.
- Re-connecting with old friends, and discovering new relationships.
- Re-focusing on our worship and our service to our neighbors.
It has been almost two full years since “normal” – since our last pre-pandemic worship.
As we come back to new carpet and new paint and new furniture, we can dream together – what renewal is God calling us to?