Celebrating the New Year and new possibilities is fine but it’s time now to move into this new ministry year with focus and intention. Having said that, Pastor Kelly, where are we headed?
Prayerful visioning time, reflecting on our shared wisdom from the two vision retreats in 2013 and trying to be present to our current neighborhood and community life have opened me to theme 2014 around “Family”.
I shared with church leaders, at the January Administrative Council meeting, my understanding of how God had been preparing us for this theme throughout the 2013 Advent Season: “Hope is here. Love is here. Family is here.” Our worshipping community recited this line every week as part of the Advent wreath lighting liturgy. Hearing this line voiced in unison by our diverse community gave me hope throughout the Season that ALL people truly would be welcomed at the manger WE celebrated on Christmas! And, it was a joyous and loved filled Christmas Eve night when at last we could say, “Hope is here.”
God’s hope for ALL of creation, our hope for the ministry we share IS in our naming, claiming and living into the reality that indeed: Hope IS here, Love IS here and Family IS here!
I believe that we can use the family theme to express the presence of God and Love in our community and in the world in the coming year. We’ll do this through every avenue of ministry from Education to Mission to Community Outreach, through the Reconciling Core Team’s continuing work and in our Worship and Music. This theme will reveal itself across many definitions and lived expressions of family and I look forward to our community continuing to welcome ALL in the days ahead as we share and grow together.
The office staff is utilizing our servant keeper data to invite as many as we can to take part in ministry this year. Please update your survey or if you have never done a servant leadership survey plan to do so in the month of February between services in the Gathering Space. This data base and your willingness to just “sign-up” when the call for help goes out are the means by which you become active disciples of Jesus Christ in the world through the ministry we share. As members, constituents and friends of this church, we ALL work together in shared ministry giving glory to God as we love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Along the way we have tons of fun, help lots of folks and advance our journey of faith.
We symbolically renewed our family tie to God and each other on Sunday, January 12 with the renewal of our Baptism. The water blessed jar of river rock will be seen throughout the year around church events, meetings and in worship. Please add a stone if you missed services on the 12th and join in the powerful remembrance of our connection to God’s heart through Baptism. And, take part in my Sunday adult class on Baptism if you’d like to learn more about living a life of discipleship.
Peace, sisters and brothers in Christ!
Pastor Kelly