The year 2021 was extraordinary! We continued to be an agile congregation, ready to find new ways to be church. Journey through just a few highlights from the year.
January
The year started off with beautiful snowfall and our TVLC Preschoolers made the most of it. We livestreamed worship and became “experts” (let’s be gentle with ourselves) at Zoom. We echoed the phrase “Can you hear me now?” more times than we’d like to admit.
February
Our Sunday School children and families were supported and loved by our long-term Sunday School leaders, Donna Elmquist and Mari Eklund. We also celebrated their well-earned retirement. Ash Wednesday was observed with drive-through imposition of ashes.
March
We were busy learning how to make desks for students throughout Tucson who were learning remotely. We collected and distributed food to 70 families for Easter.
April
We celebrated Easter online and in-person outdoors. And, we celebrated the reopening of our campus the last weekend in April!
May
We continued working on desks and by the end of year had produced 120 for children to have a designated learning space in their homes!
June-August
Vacation Bible School took on a new format on Sunday mornings to serve our little ones and their families and respect the needs of our volunteers.
September
Our groups began meeting both in person and via Zoom to best meet the needs of the congregation. We supported our ministry partners by collecting 692 jars of peanut butter for Interfaith Community Services and 2 cars of school supplies for Wheeler Elementary and Emerge!
October
Our rummage sale took place in October, raising funds for our TVLC Preschool and Kindergarten and our High School Student’s trip to the ELCA Youth Gathering. Our annual celebration of outreach to our community “God’s Work. Our Hands.” took place with collection of sheets for our ministry partner, Lutheran Social Services, electronics recycling, and collection of food by our food ministry. We ended the month with a joyful Trunk or Treat celebration for our little ones.
November
We recognized our grief and honored and celebrated the loved ones who died during the year on All Saints Sunday. Our Food Ministry distributed food for over 70 families for Thanksgiving. We came together to make our financial commitments to support God’s work by TVLC in 2022 and celebrated the gifts you provided with pie on the patio!
December
We provided gifts for 284 children through our Children’s Gift Ministry and provided food for 80 families. We enjoyed our Children’s Christmas program and we wrapped up the year joyfully celebrating the birth of Jesus with candlelight services.
There is more, so much more, that is not covered here. Your hands, your talents, your gifts are the church. We look forward to another year following Jesus and sharing love as the people of God at TVLC. Amen.
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