We are pleased to report that the transition from the Pompano Beach campus to the Parkway campus is well underway.  You may recall that, back in May, our church voted to sell the Pompano Beach campus to the City of Pompano Beach to be used as a school.  At the same time, we approved a merger/adoption with Parkway United Methodist Church, allowing us to continue the vital serve ministries taking place at the Pompano Beach campus in more long-term, cost effective, and sustainable ways.  The Pompano Beach campus is scheduled to transfer to the city in late September.

The Parkway Transition Team, charged with overseeing moving the ministries from Pompano to Parkway, is made up of staff and pastors from Christ Church, leaders of Christ Church serve ministries at the Pompano Beach Campus, and members/leaders from Parkway UMC.  We have been meeting almost every two weeks since May. 

We have put a priority on moving the Blessings Food Pantry to the Parkway campus in a seamless way to try to ensure a continuity of service.  It is our hope to have the pantry up and running at Parkway, with no disruption of service, by the end of August.  Information, including directions to the Parkway campus, will be made available to clients once a firm date is established. 

In addition, Shared Meals ministries (like the shared meals at Pompano Beach) have started at the Parkway campus on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings.  Currently these are smaller in scale than the meals served at Pompano Beach, but the next step after relocating the Blessings Food Pantry to Parkway is the expansion of this ministry to a capacity like the meals served at the Pompano Beach campus. 

Sunday morning worship services have also resumed at the Parkway campus (10:30 a.m. every Sunday).  Jim Walling, the former pastor of Parkway United Methodist Church, has officially retired from ministry in the Florida Annual Conference. However, he has agreed to stay on in a part-time staff capacity to help through this transition period.  He brings a wonderful knowledge of the community and the facilities that are vital for a good transition.  

There are many opportunities for you to connect and participate in God’s work through the Christ Church United Methodist Parkway campus: volunteer to serve at one of the Shared Meals on a Sunday morning or Wednesday evening, be ready to serve at the Blessings Food Pantry when the transition is complete, participate in one of the monthly workdays at the Fruitful Field Garden, attend a Sunday morning worship at the Parkway campus. 

You can sign up for serve opportunities at the Parkway campus immediately by clicking Parkway Serve Opportunities.

In addition to the Transition Team, a second team, led by Brian McComb, is overseeing the details of leaving the Pompano Beach campus, including distribution of furniture and equipment.  You will be hearing more about that soon.  There will be a service of decommissioning for the Pompano campus on Sunday, August 1, at 3:30 p.m.  You are invited to come and celebrate the faithful work that has been done on the campus, first through First United Methodist Church of Pompano Beach and later through Christ Church United Methodist.  We will also celebrate and ask God’s guidance for the next chapter as we transition the ministries to the Parkway campus. 

We will keep you updated on our progress as we move forward.  Please continue to keep this work in your prayers.  Together, we follow the Holy Spirit into a new season and chapter in the story of Christ Church United Methodist, Parkway United Methodist, and First United Methodist Church of Pompano Beach.  Part of faith is stepping boldly into the unknown, with the trust that God is greater than our uncertainties, fears, and timidity.  Even more, it is having the trust that God is up to something beautiful, and we get to be a part of it.

Together we are the hands and feet of Jesus,

Brett