Dear People of St. David’s,
I pray that you and yours are well and want to invite you to join in a new year of mission and ministry and life with God at St. David’s and in your daily life. A new year of mission and ministry and life is upon us at St. David’s Church. This is a year that promises all of us, of every age and experience, many opportunities to learn and to grow in our life with God and in friendship with one another. It is a year when we are living into our mission by paying closer attention to living a life that is really life. For Christ is calling us and welcoming us into a life that is far richer than any life we might pursue on our own. And though the riches may not be measurable, like an investment, a bank account, or any other material blessing we might enjoy, it is a life that is more gracious, peace-filled, and hopeful than any other life I know.
Our theme for this year to help us grow in our life with God and one another, and to show us how to enter into the life that is really life, is entitled
The Christian Life
. It is a theme that is seemingly obvious, but in many ways is foreign to how most of us live each day and interact with God and the world. Our hope is that the focus on the Christian life in all its different expressions will draw us closer to this God who created all that is and yet is interested in your life and mine. We expect that we will all come to a better understanding of God’s grace and involvement in our lives and how God is calling us to live.
Please understand at the beginning of this new year, living the Christian life is not the path to earn God’s grace or gifts, but because God’s grace and gifts are already present in our lives and God is offering to give us more. Too many people understand the Christian life in this way: We are saved by God’s grace and now we have to earn it by living “good lives” and by following some set of rules or practices. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Christian life is about taking hold of God’s forgiveness, healing, power, comfort, courage, grace and presence and then living in the wonderful presence of God at all times and in all places.
There’s so much more to say, consider, and learn about the Christian Life. I invite you to join in our three services of worship beginning this Sunday and the all-parish picnic following the 10:00 a.m. service. All are welcome. All are called. I hope you will answer God’s call and begin or renew your commitment to the Christian life this Sunday and all through the year. You will be surprised. You will be challenged. You will not be bored (mostly). You will enjoy life and an abundant one at that.
See you in Church!
Grace and Peace,
