A Letter from Anne Wachel, Churches United

After 19 years of service at Churches United, I am going to be stepping down at the end of the year. While I appreciate the abundance of phone calls, emails and other communications from many of you, Churches United will continue to serve the greater Quad City community with integrity and dignity like it always has. And to answer the numerous questions I have been asked by other colleagues – No, there Is nothing wrong with me or the organization (although my sense of humor is a bit dry). It’s just time for me to move on and return to Ohio where I can begin a new journey, perhaps a new job and to see what God has in store for me.

With that said, I ask that you continue to support and strengthen Churches United. We have done very well in 2017 both in ministry and in developing funding streams. Churches United is ready to take off to that next level but we can only do it with your support!!

This organization is the only one of its kind left in the state of Iowa and one of just three now in Illinois. We are unique and we contribute greatly to the community. The staff do not view working at Churches United as a job but as a true calling from God.

Also, I ask that we put our IPADS and Kindles down, get off the Internet, turn off all social media and just “be” and listen to what God is telling you. Listening is a difficult communication skill. Get out of your comfort zone, out of the safety net that you know and meet someone of a different faith or different culture or different lifestyle or someone who is from the city or any number of elements that take you beyond what you know.

Now is the time to devote your time to volunteering or participating in rallies or marches. Now is the time for dialogue and truly “listening”. Now is the time to show respect and forgiveness. Now is the time to challenge ahead. To speak out when there is injustice, to speak out regarding lack of equal pay, equal rights or health care or any number of issues that people in this country are facing.

It is also a time to pray. Pray to God for strength for yourself, for your neighbor, for those who are your friends and those that you do not understand or agree with. Pray that we find a way to inspire young people to make an impact on their community and making a difference.

I normally don’t get personal with these articles, but I want to share an experience that I had over Labor Day that got me out of my comfort zone. While I was visiting some family in another state, I noticed a Confederate Flag hanging proudly from someone’s flag pole at a campground. I drove by it twice while going to the store. Then, it hit me. Why are you just passively driving by when you know something like that really bothers you? Am I no better than this person for not challenging this moral view? So, stepping out of my comfort zone, I contacted law enforcement to let them know my displeasure of seeing this flag, the location of the campground etc. I don’t know if anything was done but at least I knew that I did the right thing by not sitting complacently by.

When I was confirmed in the Methodist Church many years ago, each student received a Bible. Good News for the Modern Man was always a favorite of mine. “But now you must get rid of all these things: anger, passion and hateful feelings. No insults or obscene talk. Do not lie to one another, for you have put off the old self with its habits. As a result, there are no Gentiles and Jews, barbarians, savages or free men but Christ is all and Christ is in all. You are the People of God; he loved you and chose you for his own. Therefore, you must put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Be helpful to one another, forgive one another, whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. And to all these add Love which binds things all together in perfect unity.

In Christ’s Love,
Anne Wachel

A Note from Bonnie

All Saints Lutheran Church receives money several times a year to help cover costs for the food pantry here at All Saints.