A Pastoral Thought
June 2, 2026
An Invitation to Be Heard
Church Family,
I want to begin by saying how deeply I love and appreciate each of you. You are not just a congregation to me—you are family. My greatest desire is to shepherd you with care, humility, and faithfulness.
As your pastor, I want to be completely clear with you: I do not look at anyone’s personal giving records. That is a matter between you and the Lord alone. I only review the overall giving trends across all our platforms and opportunities. Your individual generosity is between you and God, and I respect that sacred space.
Over these past months we’ve seen a concerning trend in our overall giving. As I’ve prayed and reflected, I’ve wondered about possible contributing factors—things like families walking through real financial pressure, questions or hurts related to leadership and direction, people quietly expressing concerns through their giving, or other personal and spiritual reasons. I don’t assume any of these are true for us, but I do want to listen well and understand what’s happening in our family.
That’s why this Friday you will receive an email with a simple, confidential church-wide survey. It will remain open for two weeks, and your honest feedback will help us hear what’s really going on so we can better love, lead, and serve you. There will be room for you to share openly and safely—no pressure, no judgment.
Whether you respond through the survey digitally, or prefer respond through a written copy of the survey conversation, your voice matters deeply to me and to our elders. We are committed to listening with humility and responding with grace.
Thank you for being the church family you are. I’m hopeful about what God will do as we seek Him together with open hearts.
With love and an open door,
Don Conley
Ringgold + GC3
Lead Pastor
LOCATIONS
Ringgold Location (10 AM Service time)
14416 Barkdoll Road
Hagerstown, MD 21742
Frederick Location (10:30 AM Service time)
2100 Rosemont Ave.
Frederick, MD 21702
Also available as Markdown.