Executive Director’s Report
I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth; do you not perceive it?
Isaiah 43 18-19
Another year has passed, and what a year it has been, providing opportunities for growth and renewal both within the ministry and within the lives of our staff.
I am happy to report that, thanks to the support from our board of directors, after 17 years of serving Isaiah 58 Ministries, I was finally able to step away for a 3-month long, much needed sabbatical.
My time away included a period in private retreat where I rested my body and my mind and spent time enjoying the beauty of God’s earth. A small cabin in the mountains of southern Colorado provided me with all I needed to reconnect with God and all of creation. Throughout my stay I was able to look out from my cabin porch and see the beauty and vastness of the wilderness, where on one day, bright, blue skies welcomed in the day, and heavy spring snow blanketed the ground the next.
It was a reminder to me to embrace each and every moment and know that what is, presently, can quickly melt away, making room for something new. It also reminds me that, as moisture from the snow nourishes new spring growth, all that has come before provides nourishment for what is yet to be.
During my sabbatical I also took time to visit other ministries across the Midwest. From Iowa, to Tennessee, to Kentucky and Michigan, I gleaned many wonderful ideas and “best practices” from other food pantries. I spent time visiting with directors and volunteers, all of them visionaries, who have worked hard to bring their dreams to life. I saw that their ministries, in all their varied models, nurture their communities and work to build a better world for everyone.
Finally, I closed my sabbatical with another retreat, hiking and creating art as I listened for God’s call for what is next for me and for Isaiah 58 Ministries.
I am so grateful for our incredible board of directors and all of our volunteers who, while I was away from the ministry, willingly stepped up to ensure the ministry continued to serve our community with grace and compassion.
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Upon my return from sabbatical, the rest of the year quickly passed. Within a month of my return, Meredith was on parental leave, leaning into her new role as mom and coparent. Again, our volunteers were indispensable, helping to make sure each day ran smoothly and without incident.
And then, soon after Meredith’s return, the holidays rushed in, demanding all our time and attention, Food and gift collections, holiday food distributions and our holiday store filled our days with continuous reminders of how blessed we are to have so many incredible supporters.
With our targeted food and gift drives, supporting churches showered our ministry with holiday bounty, allowing us to provide our guests with joy and abundance during a season that can bring added stress and excessive burdens.
What an event-filled, bounty-filled, and joy-filled year!
To our many supporters, Thank you! Thank you for your ongoing support through food and clothing collections, financial donations, and volunteer hours. You have empowered us to stretch and grow in new directions.
So, while I remain in discernment about all that has happened during 2023, I do know this. God is calling us to be bold – to be courageous and to open our hearts and minds to the wonderful possibilities of what is to come.
You can download a copy of our full 2023 Annual Report here.https://i58ministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Annual-Report-2023-final.pdf