January 7, 2020

Friends and fellow disciples,

Happy New Year!

But ...before we jump into 2020 more fully, I want to take a moment and step back, and say, “thank you.” It has been a mighty year, and countless numbers of you have stepped up and served Christ’s church in amazing ways. At this time last year, the Session had been studying our staff structure and was preparing to approve a pile of job descriptions. The Nominating Committee called many of you, who worked to interview, listen to the Spirit, and assemble the wonderful staff team we now have in place! 

Others of you worked on the planning for the building that is, albeit slowly, unfolding before us. Others of you taught church school, or sang in the choir, or drove for Meals on Wheels, or visited a member of the church in treatment for cancer. Others of you listened and planned, recruited volunteers, went on a summer trip with our youth, knitted prayer shawls, served the shelter meal, contributed planning for the Deacons’ Mission Day in November when we welcomed Pastor Leon of Haiti Outreach Mission.

Others of you, as Advent approached, decorated the church so beautifully, planned and practiced and shared so much wonderful music, served meals, bought gifts for Share Your Christmas, came downtown to Bull City Fair Trade, corralled little ones in the pageant. 

So many of you stepped up, again and again, in amazing ways, seeking the One who is God With Us. I have been humbled by your faithfulness over and over and over again.

As we begin this new year, I do so filled with gratitude - for who you are, and even more, for the ways you are glorifying God with your lives. Christ has done much among us, and we can rejoice! But Christ also calls to us, and much work remains. I’ll look forward, praying for what is to come. Some wonderful ways to begin the new year are listed below, as we jump right in!