Grace and Peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ!
Now that the Synod office has settled into the Detroit area, I’ve been really glad to have the opportunity to support churches and presbyteries in their worship services. It has been such an honor to preach throughout the Synod region. I have had the pleasure of doing so in person, socially-distanced and masked, in Detroit, Lake Michigan, Miami Valley, and Scioto Valley presbyteries, and via Zoom in Detroit and Western Reserve presbyteries.
This past weekend I also had the opportunity to lead an officer retreat and preach by Zoom at a church outside of our Synod. I especially appreciated the chance to talk with their Session about whether they should become a Matthew 25 congregation, and what impact it might mean for them to focus on congregational vitality, structural racism, and/or system poverty. It is such a blessing to work in a region where the Matthew 25 mission is so important to so many of you. To speak about this in a different Synod makes me proud to be serving a region taking the lead!
When I served in the denomination’s Theology, Formation, and Evangelism ministry, I loved teaching on topics such as congregational vitality, spiritual disciplines, and our confessions. At the last congregation I served, outside of Chicago, I developed a lecture series called “Done in 60 Minutes” which covered ridiculously large topics like the Bible, Church History, and Christian Theology, in an hour.
If I can support you, your church, ministry, or presbytery by teaching or preaching, please contact me. I’d be especially pleased to do so in churches which do not currently have pastors or Commissioned Ruling Elders serving alongside you. I look forward to serving you and utilizing my gifts to help enrich your spiritual lives and equip your congregations.
Your partner in ministry,
Rev. Charles B Hardwick, PhD
Interim Executive
248-729-2415
chip@synodofthecovenant.org