Director of Administration & Finance Nancy Singer

Nancy Singer

When I start to write this letter each year, I always think, “Well, this has been an unusual year.” Usually, it’s because we experienced heavier snowfall than normal, or there’s been a major building project or perhaps we’ve purchased an adjoining property. In the case of the 2020-2021 fiscal year, all those things happened, and they occurred during the worst pandemic the world has seen in a century.

On March 13, 2020, just six weeks before the end of the prior fiscal year, the Centers for Disease Control ordered everything shut down, including churches. By God’s grace, we had been livestreaming our services since 2016 because we could no longer broadcast by radio. We immediately changed from an in-person service, which was also broadcast live over the internet, to a fully virtual service. While we always had missionaries and others tune in from around the world, the pandemic shutdown brought much more attention to our livestream. Former College Church members around the country and the world started accessing the livestream, and one recent map I saw, where those accessing the service that way, shows a significant viewership in the areas in Florida where many of our retirees reside. One of them said, “It’s like I never left. What a blessing!” The viewership continues to increase even as the attendance at our in-person services increases. The services held outside in the parking lot last summer and fall were very well attended.

There was one eventful afternoon in August from a weather standpoint. As the staff hunkered down in the tunnel when the tornado alert was issued, a derecho created a path of destruction with our Sanctuary taking a direct hit, lifting off much of the roofing and damaging the skylight. The force of the roofing flying into the steeple caused it to topple, but not collapse. It took a day and a half for work crews to dismantle and remove the steeple and debris and seal the roof against the weather. Our insurance company was quick to assess the situation, and work began immediately on manufacturing a new steeple and new skylight, which will be installed in the next few months.

College Church Toppled Steeple

Then came winter, which was actually quite mild by Chicago standards, and we all hoped for an early spring. At the turn of the calendar into February, all that changed, and we were hit with the one-two punch of lots of snow, falling every day along with ferocious cold and bitter winds. After three weeks of that, everyone was ready for the thaw. In the meantime, because of the generous giving to the capital campaign, we were able to purchase the two remaining houses on Seminary Avenue, and we gained nine additional rental units.

While all of this was going on, the architects and general contractors were at work defining the needs of the two spaces in the Crossings building. This space will be shared by Clapham School and our own STARS Resale Shop. It will be exciting to see all of this take shape and be occupied by the summer and fall.

While it has been an eventful year, it is one where we have witnessed the many accomplishments of our staff to serve the people of College Church even through the challenges. We continued to see God’s hand at work, in protecting, strengthening and guiding us to trust him and be good and faithful servants.

To God be all the glory.