At the last meeting of the session the Touch the Future Task Force was officially disbanded. Many of you may have seen that in the " Session Highlights " section of the newsletter a couple of weeks ago. Perhaps your first thought was that action announces a trimming back of our commitment to the TTF program. Some might have even thought that we were aborting the entire process. Either initial thought is understandable. Either thought would also be incorrect. The session and the pastoral staff is firmly behind the ideas and the possibilities that are in front of us because of the work of the TTF Task Force. Here's why the session took the action that was reported.

After hearing from Margaret Russo, the session determined that it was time to move the processes involved in the TTF program forward. In this case, moving forward means disbanding what had been used for the purpose of setting up the processes and committees that will be necessary to move our vision and our ministry toward our ultimate goals. Don Hurt, who has shown immeasurable faith and dogged determination as head of the TTF Task Force, and the other members of the TTF, who have also shown great faith and endurance, are to be commended for their work. They have been the instruments through which God has revealed God's self and God's plan to us thus far. Simply stated, now it is time for the session in conjunction with the sub - committees and the two new committees to move forward in the work of bringing reality to our discernment.

The two new committees that will begin work are: Communications and Special Events. Renee Brown and Chris Oyer will be convening the Communications committee. Renee and Chris will be seeking help from congregation members to collate and prepare presentation booklets for distribution to the congregation. The Special Events committee will be a little slower in taking shape. The session will be meeting with Roger Ricketts to discuss this committee and its function with regards to the presentations that will be made to the congregation through small group cottage meetings.

At 5:00 PM on August 8^th the session has decided to have a dinner to celebrate the completion of the TTF Task Force's work. This dinner will be in conjunction with our Second Sunday dinner. Please mark your calendars and plan to be part of this celebration. Excitement continues to be in plentiful supply. New people will be brought into the TTF process. Their ideas, gifts, and energy will help propel us in to our future as God's people in Alabaster. It is a wonderful time to be doing ministry in this city!