Greetings –

2020 what a year! Kudos to the Executives and to the DRC staff for planning and replanning and replanning most if not all the events for 2020. It seemed that just at a point something was confirmed, we got the news that everything had changed.

That being said, “necessity is the mother of invention” was the mantra. The fact is, we serve a God of ultimate creativity and in that, we’re created in His image, I’d like to think creativity is in our DNA. So, we got creative and planned events that were totally different or hybrids of the norm.

Sure, it was frustrating trying to hit a moving bullseye, but frankly, we were all in the same boat. Over the course of 2020, I’m pretty sure that in your ministry, you had to do things that you’d never done before. I’m trusting that God blessed your efforts.

So, we had to be flexible. We had to exercise patience. We probably had to reprioritize some things and maybe even let some things go…

But believe it or not, there was a payoff…

• Having to be flexible meant that we probably gave new thought to things we’d been doing the same way for a long time. And in that everyone had to be flexible, it gave us the opportunity to try new things with a constituency that was probably a bit more willing to doing something different.

• Learning patience was probably a bit easier than normal because we didn’t feel as though we were singled out because everyone was facing the same battle. So, we gained strength from one another.

• Having to reprioritize and cull some things might have been painful, but in my case it was fruitful. I drew strength from Philippians 4:12 – “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Those of us in music ministry can paraphrase that verse by saying, “I know what it’s like lead worship in a building with members of my spiritual family and I’ve learned to sing into a camera without an audience. I’ve learned to enjoy the amens during worship and I’ve learned that at a drive-in service, the amens you receive will be horns honking. And I’ve learned the secret of contentment – It’s the fact that the Object of our worship is still the same. The things we’ve received – salvation, grace, and mercy are still readily available. That the fields are still “white unto harvest” and that regardless of the method we use – the Great Commission has never changed.

I pray for your musical ministry. I pray for your worship crew. I pray for your church family and I pray that God will bless you with His creativity so that you will impact your community in ways you never thought possible.

My thanks to the Pastor Bret Allen, the DRC Staff, Pastor Frank Silverii, the Bethel San Jose family and you – the wonderful people of the Northern California / Nevada District.

Respectfully Submitted,
Jon Lugonsert