You’ve probably noticed that the Advocate has been pretty silent in recent weeks. Don’t worry! We’ve not gone anywhere. Like almost all of you, life just hits differently sometimes.

I’m reminded of the theme of this year’s Annual Event: unforced rhythms of grace. Sometimes the plans that we have work out, and sometimes they don’t. Both are okay.

We’ve been working on some really great ideas that we are excited to share with you. We hope that something from what’s coming can spark some interest and creativity for you and your communities in which you serve.

We will also be hard at work throughout the summer and the fall working on a new format for the Advocate. Many of you may remember back in the day when the Advocate was a printed quarterly newsletter. We’re exploring the possibility of going back to a similar format, but in digital form.

It reminds me of when a brand will refresh their marketing; they say, “New look! Same great taste!” That’s our hope—to have a new look, but all the same great articles and even some new content that will be included. Our hope is to launch this “new look, same great Advocate” at the 2024 Annual Event in St. Louis

We’ll still be posting from time to time, but maybe not quite as regularly. So, we ask that you grant us the grace to take the time we may need in order to provide you with the great ideas, resources, and information we know we can give you.

It’s also like when you go to a mall or a hospital or something where there’s some construction and they’ve got signs up saying, “Pardon our dust.” So, as we work to continue serving you and work to create something new, pardon our dust as we are under a bit of remodeling.

“Look! I’m doing a new thing; now it sprouts up; don’t you recognize it?” Isaiah 43:19a

 

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James Potts

James is the moderator of the Advocate Ministry Team. He is also a solo pastor in the Presbytery of Southeastern Illinois.