I learned something new! I love to learn. Did you happen to read the article about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the "Arizona Republic" last Monday? I discovered that MLK was born Michael King, Jr. However, his father changed his son's name to Martin Luther following a trip to Germany. He had been inspired by our very own Martin Luther, the Protestant Reformation leader. How about that!

I want to thank everyone who attended our annual meeting. We are church together, so your participation is important and appreciated. Whether you are a year-round member or a winter visitor, you are an important piece in our SOH puzzle. When one piece is missing, we are less than whole.

Please pray for SOH, our dedicated staff, our elected and appointed leaders, our ministries and ministers/volunteers. (I like the title "ministers" better than "volunteers".) May Christ be made known in all that we say and do in his holy name.

As we move forward into this new year, I encourage you to find your niche at SOH.  What are you passionate about when you think about the work of the church? Or, is it time for you to broaden your horizons and try something new? There's a place for you. It will take all of us coming together and participating in the life of this congregation to keep us on track for growing SOH's mission and ministry. We are laying the groundwork and preparing the way for the calling of your next pastor. Another piece of that groundwork involves our stewardship. To support "God's Mission Plan" for SOH in 2018, you are encouraged to faithfully give your offerings to the General Fund. We need to have enough undesignated money available to do God's work, to care for our building and to pay the bills. Just like in our homes, we have operating expenses that keep going up each year.

One of many things that I am excited about is getting all teams/committees up and running well. Currently, some are more active than others. Some are understaffed and need more members. It's also healthy to get new folks who may bring new ideas. Just because we have always done something a certain way doesn't mean that we can't try something new. Once again, we will be holding "All Team/Committee Nights." Stay tuned for the day and time.

As I have said before, good communication is essential in any organization. Please talk with me directly. I welcome your thoughts and questions. Please don't assume anything. I'd rather be told twice that someone is in the hospital than not at all. Thank you for your continuing support during this interim time. I am blessed to be your pastor and walking along this journey with you.

I am happy to welcome our newest members: Ann and Matt McCune, Shelly and Ron Smith and Joanne and Larry Trapp. Please introduce yourself to them and share your warm and welcoming SOH hospitality with them. How blessed we are!

May God continue to bless you and yours. May God continue to bless our life together here at SOH.

Yours in Christ's Service,

Pastor Linda