IMPACT 2020
A review of your impact through Eastern Star Church: January to October 2020
Dear Church Family, what a year 2020 has been! Through it all, God has shown His almighty hand. He has guided us through one of the most challenging times in Eastern Star Church’s 100-year history, as we faced our second pandemic since the church’s birth. Because of your faith in our Lord and Savior, we were able to minister to our neighbors around the world. Review all that we accomplished in 2020 because of your sacrifices and generosity. And let’s praise God for working through His servants at such a time as this.
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Greetings from Senior Pastor Jeffrey A. Johnson, Sr., and Executive Pastor Anthony Murdock
OUR MISSION
In 2020, we quickly learned how to pivot and overcome challenges as COVID-19 disrupted our day-to-day lives. We worked hard to ensure that we stayed committed to our mission of evangelism and discipleship. We demonstrated the love of Christ through our service to others. We were tested. Yet, God showed us a way out of no way. Praise be to our Lord and Savior for all He has done and continues to do through Eastern Star Church!
Reflections from Chief of Staff Rene Parson
“God is doing a new thing …”
“When I realized that working remotely was not going to be a temporary assignment, it was important that the leadership team begin to change how we think and talk. We had to make an intentional paradigm shift of doing the Kingdom work of evangelism and discipleship outside the four walls. As tragic as COVID-19 has been, God is doing a new thing, which includes expanding ESC’s virtual presence to the nations. We had a momentary pause but the team quickly figured it out. By the grace of God, extraordinary work has been and continues to be done by the staff and volunteers at Eastern Star Church.” — Rene Parson, chief of staff
Spreading the Gospel in 2020
Senior Pastor Jeffrey A. Johnson, Sr., Associate Pastor Jeffrey (Jay) Johnson II and other Eastern Star Church pastors and guest pastors adjusted to preaching in a nearly empty sanctuary at the Main Campus — with only a production crew there to capture a taping of the message. Yet, because of technology, the Word was still able to go out to thousands of people here in Indianapolis, and around the nation and the world.
More People Heard the Word of God
Pre-COVID-19 vs. COVID-19 ATTENDANCE (FULLY ONLINE)
AVERAGE WEEKLY SUNDAY ATTENDANCE
From March to October 2020, the COVID-19 period, an average of 10,003 households or about 26,000* individuals watched Eastern Star Church services each Sunday. During January and February, an average of 3,748 people worshipped in person and an additional 4,401 households tuned in online each Sunday.
*Online viewing consists of households. Nielsen suggests that there are 2.6 people viewing per household.
We also expanded our audience on TV Channel 40
From March to October 2020, an average of 8,809 households or nearly 23,000* individuals watched Eastern Star Church televised services each Sunday.
*Online viewing consists of households. Nielsen suggests that there are 2.6 people viewing per household.
INSPIRING INMATES IN 2020
Inmates at Indiana Women’s Prison and Pendleton Correctional Facility also are tuning in to hear messages from Eastern Star Church each week. Many inmates report being inspired by the Word of God.
“I have had several ladies tell me that they enjoy the sermons from Pastor Johnson and Pastor Jay Allen, and one lady has begun to tithe to Eastern Star Church after watching the services. Praise God!!!”
Noonday, Revival & Centennial Celebration
Eastern Star Church ensured that members continued to hear the word of God throughout the week. In addition to daily devotionals taped by Senior Pastor Jeffrey A. Johnson, Sr., Associate Pastor Jay Allen Johnson II, Youth Pastor Percy Bland, and several guest pastors, we provided messages of hope during Noonday, Revival 2020, and special services, including our Centennial Celebration.
An average of 2,024 households tuned into Noonday Wednesday services each week throughout April 2020-October 2020.
Eastern Star Church welcomed Dr. Frederick Douglass Haynes III and Dr. Leah Gunning Francis to lead us in worship for Revival 2020.
We praised God during a Centennial Celebration presented online and televised on Channel 40. In all, nearly 31,000 households tuned in.
ADVOCATING FOR OUR RIGHTS
Along with the pandemic, residents of Indianapolis joined the nation in protests for social and racial justice. Dr. Frederick Douglass Haynes III, who has been at the frontlines for social justice for years, delivered a message about Justice + Jesus as one of our Revival guest speakers during this turbulent period. We also collaborated with other church and community leaders to ensure that people exercised their right to vote through voter registration and voter turnout.
CONNECTING VIRTUALLY
Throughout 2020, our Communications Team expanded the ways we connected with members and visitors. We realized the importance of maintaining strong digital connections since we were unable to meet with one another in person. We developed a new website, increased our social media postings, and sent more emails, app notifications and robocalls to ensure everyone was up to date on the happenings at our church as we navigated a new normal.
IGNiTE MINISTRY
In 2020, our IGNiTE Ministry for teens and youth adapted by offering church services as an entirely virtual experience. We now see that these online church services, which came about as a result of the pandemic, have the potential to deliver the gospel to teens and youth beyond the walls of Eastern Star Church. Take a look.
GRADUATION 2020
With many graduation ceremonies canceled due to COVID-19, Eastern Star Church held a virtual graduation celebration for more than 100 graduates — including high school, college and post-graduate diploma recipients. The church also provided more than $100,000 in scholarships to 54 high school graduates — ensuring that they had a solid start for their future plans.
ENRICHING ONLINE WORSHIP
As an increasing number of people from around the world showed interest in Eastern Star Church fellowship and services, the Department of Ministry started exploring options for addressing their needs. To better understand how to engage these online audiences, we hired a consultant to provide us with direction. As a result, Associate Pastor Jeffrey A. “Jay” Johnson II assumed a new role as creative pastor of preaching, teaching and online worship. Saibo Ndlovu-Rose also transitioned into a new role as program assistant for the department.
“We are commanded to go into all the world,” Pastor Jay said. “I would love to see the church become more comfortable in the digital space and know that Eastern Star Church is beyond Indianapolis. We need to ask the questions: “How do we engage people who are not in our city? How do we make them feel connected even if they’re not in Indianapolis? How do we show care for someone who doesn’t live in this city?”
Saibo noted that the new department comes at a critical point, when many people are still trying to navigate restrictions caused by the pandemic. “It allows us to expand and diversify how we reach people,” she said. “It also represents what we stand for as a church for the past 100 years.
EASTERN STAR CHURCH INTRODUCES E-CHURCH
Pastor Jay Allen Johnson has embraced a new role to explore e-church possibilities for Eastern Star Church, as people from around the world show interest in being connected on a more meaningful level.
Recognizing the desire of online visitors to join Eastern Star Church — no matter where they’re located in the world, the Department of Ministry implemented a plan to meet their needs. In the midst of the pandemic, Associate Pastor Jay Johnson assumed the role of creative pastor of preaching, teaching and online worship — leading a team in understanding how to meet the unique needs of members in a virtual environment.
What better way to carry out our mission for evangelism and discipleship when you’re not restricted by time, location or travel? You can literally reach hundreds of thousands of people.”
Saibo also said that the new team envisions a time when Eastern Star Church becomes a model for how to do ministry online. “People want to sense fellowship and connectedness,” she said. “They miss the opportunity to touch, laugh and worship with one another. We want to become the model for how to accomplish that in the virtual space.”
Pastor Jay also is committed to exploring new ways of creatively spreading the word to a digital audience. The ESC online church fully launches in 2021.
MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS 2020
184 NEW MEMBER CANDIDATES
From January 2020 to October 2020, we had 184 new member candidates — including those who emailed during the pandemic expressing their decision to accept Christ as their Savior and/or to connect with Eastern Star Church.
43 Baptisms
Can you baptize during a pandemic? That’s the question that the Eastern Star Church Department of Ministry faced when government and health officials issued social distancing guidelines in the wake of COVID-19. ”We don’t believe you get a pass from God during a pandemic,” said Janai Downs, ESC director of Family Life and Connections. “We still have to be obedient to the Word. Baptism is an act of obedience and an outward demonstration of what happens in our heart. It’s a very important part of our ministry.”
After consulting with Marion County Health Department officials, the team decided to host a baptism service at the Ransburg YMCA swimming pool — which allowed for an environment of social distancing. Five people were baptized, giving a public display of their commitment to their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in the midst of a pandemic. This added to the number of 38 believers who had been baptized before the pandemic forced a shutdown. Praise God!!!
LEARNING & GROWING IN 2020
“We couldn’t fail.”
As she looks back on 2020, Nancy Silvers Rogers, executive director of ministries for Eastern Star Church, immediately recalls the determination of the staff in the midst of disruptions caused by COVID-19. “We all hold our mission in high regard: How are we discipling people? How are we going to get the work out for evangelism in this new reality? We knew we couldn’t fail. We put our heads together, and trusted each other and in our abilities to pivot,” she said. “We knew we must continue to touch people and help meet their needs. We had to jump out there and get things done. We may have made some missteps along the way, but in the end it made us better and stronger. We are continuing to improve and enhance how we are carrying out our ministry.”
Help support our 2021 ministry outreach initiatives for evangelism and discipleship!
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
2020: HELPING DURING A TIME OF GREAT NEED
With stay-at-home orders and social distancing orders issued, many businesses were forced to shut their doors — some temporarily, others permanently. Nationwide, 22 million people lost their jobs throughout 2020 — triggering one of the worst recessions in American history. According to the New York Times and Vox, only half of those jobs had been recovered by the end of the year. This led to high rates of food insecurity. Many Americans, including tens of thousands of Indiana residents, feared eviction and an inability to pay their bills. Some, for the first time in their lives, waited in food pantry lines.
Eastern Star Church members, following a 100-year tradition of helping the least, the lonely, and the left out, stepped up to help their neighbors in need. Members, along with many visitors, donated generously to the church’s WECARE campaign to meet the growing needs in the community. The impact of our service from January 2020 to October 2020 is reflected in the numbers below.
CARE IMPACT 2020
From January to October 2020, the ESC CARE Center kept up with an increasing demand for services as Indianapolis, along with the rest of the world, experienced the devastating consequences of COVID-19 pandemic.
HOW WE SHOWED WE CARE
January - October 2020
As the pandemic persisted in the community, the ESC CARE Center quickly mobilized to meet needs. “Our commitment to serve the community is central to the Eastern Star Church’s 100-year legacy,” said Leigh Evans, director of community development. “We are asking members to give 10 percent of their tithes. We, in turn, are giving 10 percent of that giving to the community. Additionally, we received grant funds to address the growing community and economic relief needs aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Calls for help spiked during the summer, according to Helen Lewis, assistant director of community development for Eastern Star Church. “Numbers for benevolence increased, especially starting in August when the rent moratorium was going away,” Helen said. “We started to get more calls from people wanting assistance with their rent and utilities. They have consistently gone up since then.”
In spite of adopting COVID-19 protocol, the CARE team, had to make the difficult decision to close its drive-through food pantry at times. “We can always do benevolence through email and phone calls,” said Helen, noting that services like utility and rent assistance continued nonstop. “But we did have a concern about the homeless people who walk up to us on a weekly basis. It was very hard for me to have to close the food pantry.”
However, throughout the pandemic, more and more food pantries opened to accommodate the needs in the Arlington Woods community. At the start of the year, eight food pantries were available to meet the needs of food-insecure people in the area. By year’s end, it had climbed to 48 food pantries, Helen said.
During the few times that the CARE Center food pantry was closed, the church donated funds to support numerous food pantries, including Gleaners Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, and Wheeler Mission, Leigh said.
Counseling provided by the CARE Center addressed another significant need throughout the community in the wake of the pandemic. “We didn’t stop addressing the mental health needs of the community through our telehealth services,” Leigh said.
From January to October 2020, the CARE Center provided help to a total of 270 households, who were served with utility and rent/mortgage assistance. The CARE Center reported that requests for help started spiking in July as moratoriums on evictions were set to expire.
CARE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
COVID-19 RELIEF
Throughout the pandemic, your tithes and offerings helped us serve our members and neighbors during a critical period. From January 2020 to October 2020, you helped us provide nearly $138,000 in COVID-19 relief.
COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on our neighbors in Indianapolis, nationally and abroad. Help us continue to support them in 2021 through our WECARE Campaign for COVID-19 relief. Every single dollar makes an impact. Thank you in advance for all you do to help us demonstrate the love of Christ!
ADVOCATING FOR BETTER HEALTH
In 2020, Eastern Star Church partnered with the Indiana University Health Department and the Marion County Health Department to provide critical health services to the residents of Arlington Woods and nearby communities. We hosted free flu shots and COVID-19 testing in the parking lot of our Main Campus for more than 1,000 people during the two health events.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS SUPPORTING OUR OUTREACH
As part of our outreach, including the ROCK Initiative, Eastern Star Church actively builds relationships with organizations, businesses, and churches to come alongside us in meeting the needs of our community. In 2020, we were awarded a total of nearly $334,000 in grants from the following entities. Praise God!
Recipients of Eastern Star Church sponsorships included the following organizations that aligned with our mission to serve those in need in 2020: the National Action Network, Gleaners Food Bank, Midwest Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, Wheeler Mission, Center for Leadership Development, Lawrence Community Gardens, the Mozel Sanders Foundation, the United Negro College Fund and the YMCA.
A Heartfelt Thank You to our Volunteers!
Although there were challenges in serving those who needed help, many Eastern Star Church members donned personal protective equipment provided by the church, such as face masks, to serve.
“It has been a tremendous blessing to have our volunteers help us. They went beyond anything we had expected in helping us get through this transition.”
In 2017, we launched the ROCK Initiative, a comprehensive program to revitalize the Arlington Woods community, located near our Main Campus in the 46218 zip code. Even in the midst of a pandemic, God has provided us with the resources to continue our work in the four core areas of housing, education, and neighborhood and financial stability. We also celebrated the two-year anniversary of Sunstone at Arlington Woods in August — ensuring that the celebration was small and allowed for social distancing. Take a look at the ways God has used Eastern Star Church to support our neighbors in 2020.
Four new homeowners moved into their properties in 2020. One of the families had been a previous tenant in the Sunstone at Arlington Woods multi-purpose complex on 30th Street. Another homeowner is the principal of Rooted School-Indianapolis, which is located in the Main Campus of Eastern Star Church.
We continued to advocate for quality education for students of all ages in the Arlington Woods community. We made significant inroads in 2020, with IPS School 99 receiving its Innovation Network School status and embracing its new name — Sankofa School of Success. Also, Rooted School-Indianapolis, located at the Main Campus, opened its doors for its first class of high school students.
Under the ROCK Initiative, we have set out to build a stronger neighborhood in Arlington Woods — one that supports all of the residents who live here. To that end, we partnered with organizations and the City of Indianapolis in 2020 to clean, beautify, and ensure the security and further development of the neighborhood.
The COVID-19 pandemic threatened the health of many residents in Arlington Woods, many of whom fell into high-risk categories for infection and complications from the disease. They also faced financial insecurity due to job loss and underemployment. Eastern Star Church was awarded $259,000 in pandemic relief grants to assist with housing, food and other services.
ROCK INITIATIVE 2020 HIGHLIGHTS
Financial Freedom in 2020
Throughout 2020, 192 individuals attended Financial Freedom Institute classes offered by Eastern Star Church.
During the pandemic, it was critical to adapt the course to an online format, according to Traci Bowman, ESC stewardship manager.
“People were struggling with job losses and other financial challenges,” Traci said. “It was important to help people understand how to handle finances God’s way. His word says He supplies all of our needs. We wanted to come alongside our members, helping them remain content with where God has us at the moment.”
The course was free, with materials sent to attendees in a virtual format. Since FFI was held virtually, some attendees said they were able to sign up for the first time because the online classes were more convenient.
As the church shifts back to an in-person experience, FFI will continue to provide online options, as well, Traci said.
COMMITTED & FOCUSED
Pivoting in a pandemic. In March 2020, Eastern Star Church followed guidance from health officials to minimize the spread of COVID-19. As a result, employees adapted to remote work, ensuring that the church would remain fully operational in the midst of a pandemic. (Not all employees are shown in this photo, which was taken in 2019).
HR: NAVIGATING 2020
When the leadership of Eastern Star Church realized the pandemic wasn’t temporary, Shaunna Redd, director of human resources, focused on shifting directions. “Our main challenges involved accommodating a new normal,” Shaunna recalled. “We had set goals for the year. What would our new goals look like for the reminder of 2020?”
The team also had to research and institute new COVID-19 policies to ensure that employees, members, and visitors were safe when entering the building, as well as build out a new remote-work policy. “It was overwhelming at times,” she said. “We changed directions with everything that we had planned for 2020.”
New initiatives that resulted from the new virtual work environment included weekly updates from Shaunna and Rene Parson, chief of staff; quarterly all-staff meetings via Zoom and virtual leadership and cabinet team huddles. Hiring practices also required new changes, with initial interviews taking place on the Zoom platform and subsequent interviews held in the Family Life Center at separate tables to ensure social distancing.
Through it all, the staff persevered and ensured that the church remained fully operational in 2020.
77 TOTAL EMPLOYEES
ESC FT - Eastern Star Church Full-time
ESC PT - Eastern Star Church Part-time
JHS FT - JEWEL Human Services Full-time
JHS PT - JEWEL Human Services Part-time
A NOTE OF THANKS TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND CHURCH COUNCIL MEMBERS
We sincerely appreciate the dedication of each of our employees and church council members as we successfully navigated the challenges that came our way in 2020!
TITHES & OFFERINGS
ONE CHURCH, THREE LOCATIONS
For the first time in our 100-year history, Eastern Star Church closed the doors of its facilities to the public — ensuring the safety of members, visitors and employees against the COVID-19 virus. Only essential employees were allowed into the buildings. As ESC building superintendents Ken Ford (Cooper Road and Fishers) and Vince Wesley (Main) recount, the shutdown led to some opportunities and the implementation of new practices.
“We were able to implement a lot of interior and exterior projects,” Ken said of the Cooper Road and Fishers campuses. “They served a two-fold purpose — to keep the staff busy and save the church thousands of dollars for work that would normally be assigned to contractors.” The projects included landscaping and gutter cleaning and sealing.
At the Main Campus, where the Communications Department’s video production team provided support weekly for sermons and several other employees, including those in Finance, performed essential in-house work, Vince ensured that the facilities crew was diligent in maintaining COVID-19 cleaning protocol. “We changed the way that we cleaned, including using different products designed to kill COVID-19,” he said. “We constantly wipe down door handles and other areas that are frequently touched. As soon as an employee leaves an area, we implement COVID-19 protocol immediately — cleaning the area from eight foot up all the way down to the floor.”
Wesley said the team also is exploring new equipment to minimize the spread of germs, including touch-less water faucets and other accessories in the women’s restrooms of the Main Campus.
Anyone with approval to enter the buildings must follow protocol and guidelines developed by the CDC and other resources to ensure safety and well-being.
Eastern Star Church Celebrates Cooper Road Debt Retirement!
Eastern Star Church celebrates debt retirement
Senior Pastor Jeffrey A. Johnson, Sr., Lady Sharon Johnson, Executive Pastor Anthony Murdock, Church Council members, and others gathered outside of the Cooper Road Campus in late 2020 to recognize the church’s final mortgage payment. It was a time of celebration and worship for how God can provide in the midst of a pandemic.
THANK YOU!!
It’s because of your faithfulness to God’s word that we are able to make an impact in the world. “When you give of your time, talent and treasure, you allow us to be the hands and feet of Jesus — demonstrating His love for His people,” Executive Pastor Anthony Murdock said. “Special thanks to Pastor Jeffrey A. Johnson, Sr., and the Church Council for your continued guidance and leadership. Last but not least, special thanks to all staff, and volunteers for their diligence and commitment to our mission of Evangelism and Discipleship. We look forward to God’s providence in 2021 !!”
