As I was reflecting on last year and praying and preparing for 2021, the Holy Spirit brought to mind I Corinthians 13:13:

And now these three remain; faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (I Corinthians 13:13)

Church of the Open Door has a sprawling 43 acres of land that our heavenly Father bestowed upon us to oversee and tend. Sometimes it seems impossible to accomplish the regular maintenance or the unavoidable emergencies that materialize at the most inconvenient times.

That is when I have seen Faith, Hope and Love show up through our gracious volunteers, outside help or our properties team.

• Faith is a prerequisite in our belief. It is what keeps us moving when all odds are against us.
• Hope is a gift we receive from our Lord. It drives us to know it is not over. It helps us get through our difficulties.
• Love, of course, is the greatest. It bears all things, hopes all things, and it never fails.

I am overjoyed to see all three of these displayed on our campus by the wondrous happenings our Lord has allowed this year!

Here are a few examples that I am excited to share with you:

1. Planters refreshed.

We have had a busy year working with Eagle Scouts from Troop 443! They have carried out several projects.

Four different planters around campus have been beautified: the planter at the fork in the driveway, the flagpole planter on the east side of campus, and two planters near the Worship Center.

2. Stairway to IDRAFOJE field created.

Our Children’s Pastor, Jessica Lee, had asked if we could create stairs from the overflow parking lot down to the IDRAFOJE field. I told her I would look into it. Troop 443 called again and returned for another project; weeks later the stairs were built!

3. Basketball courts updated. 

Trail Life USA/Troop 212 asked if they could refresh our basketball courts. Our courts received much needed attention – freshly painted lines, painted backboards and new nets.

4. Children’s area restrooms upgraded.

These bathrooms needed working sinks and warm water. Two faithful volunteers, Ed Cadwell and Richard Anderson, showed up and completed the project!

5. Irrigation challenges being met. 

We face leaking irrigation throughout the property. Sometimes an outside volunteer shows up. Sometimes our church volunteers tackle it. Repairs get done at no charge.

Church family, I could go on and on! These are just a few examples I wanted to share with you.

We will continue to have many projects – some costly, some minor – but there is one thing I know. Our God is faithful to us and His love for us amazes me, and I know it will never cease!

My prayer is that we all will continue to pray and seek for our own lives Faith when all seems impossible, Hope knowing we will get through our difficulties, and Love so that we will be able to bear all circumstances that unexpectedly arise.

In Christ’s love,

Annette Greek
Properties Supervisor

P.S. Would you consider being part of the volunteer team that is so vital to this campus? I’d love to have your help meeting regular campus needs and/or with upcoming special events. Whether you have a little or a lot of time to offer, I would love to hear from you!