TKC!
April 29, 2020
Dear Friends,
It seems like only a short time ago, I was on a plane awaiting takeoff to Austria. Little did I know that only minutes later things would change drastically. Providentially, there were mechanical issues that delayed takeoff and in that short span of time the President closed the borders. I took it as a sign that God wanted me to stay put and return to Our Lady of Bethesda. But, given the pandemic, we were forced to temporarily close our doors.
Keeping the Mission going to be there for you
The mission of the Retreat Center had to go on, but how could we possibly offer Marriage Prep, Spiritual Exercises, Mini-Retreats, etc., with our doors shuttered? You, the people we serve, were asking to be spiritually fed. We had to pivot rapidly and decided that, in the midst of the fears and uncertainty, we were going to “Be There” for you.
We continue to be here for you. Thank you for being there for us!
By the grace of God, we were able to pivot rapidly and “go virtual”. This opened unprecedented doorways of evangelization for us. Now not only could our local friends, benefit from our offerings, but people from all over the United States and even from other countries were able to benefit! We even reached shut-ins, the sick, and those unable to travel.
However, in the midst of these exciting developments, our basic financial needs still had to be met. As we were seeking to build Christ’s Kingdom, a most generous benefactor came to us in our need and offered a $20K matching gift! Seeing God’s work supported in such a palpable way we turned to you, launching our Easter Matching Gift Appeal. And you, the people we serve, became true partners in this great story of God’s Mercy and love. Your generosity and support of our mission helped us exceed our goal and the campaign raised just shy of $42K!
Thank You!
We know that words cannot adequately express our admiration and appreciation, but we offer them, nonetheless. Thank you! We hope that you will take our words as a sign of our deep, heartfelt gratitude. We promise to continue listening to the Lord’s voice as we seek to serve you and provide activities that will help lead you closer to Christ. And, we look forward to the day when we can open wide the doors of Our Lady of Bethesda Retreat Center and welcome you in person.
Count on our prayers for you and your loved ones.
Katie Lundstrom,
Executive Director
Thank You for Filling the Basket!
