Dear friends,
Here we are once again at the end of a year, awaiting the beginning of the new year. These markers in time always are accompanied by an invitation for reflection. I find myself at this time each year evaluating the previous twelve months, wondering what I could have done better, which decisions I would make differently, and how I would like to amend myself or my actions in the future.
While turning our gaze backwards can be a healthy thing, we also need to remember to look on our past with compassion; to not simply see errors, but recognize all the victories along the way no matter how small they may be. Too often I fixate on what I am not satisfied with and miss the joy of the past year and the celebration of all the wonderful things that have happened. I pray that as the clocks change this evening, we may find joy not only in the promise of a new beginning, but also in the beauty of a year completed.
As well as celebrating the close of the year, we are coming to the end of our Sabbatical time. Rev. Nancy will soon return to us and we will come together in gratitude and celebration on January 8th. At this service as we commemorate Jesus’s baptism, bringing our vials of water from our sacred places and mingle them together. We will renew our baptismal vows, reaffirming our commitments to God and each other. If you have a picture of yourself at your sacred water place, do not forget to email it to Beth!
On January 15th, we will be joining in a forum at 9 a.m. to reflect back on the sabbatical and to discuss what we have learned. Here are a few questions to ponder in preparation for this forum:
Where did you find joy in our communal life these past four months?
What surprised you either positively or negatively?
What do you wish we had done differently?
Reflecting on our baptismal vows, how did we strive to live out our commitments?
These are just a few guiding questions and we are hoping that the forum will be an opportunity to share, reflect, and dream about the future.
I wish you all a Happy New Year! I pray that we may find time to celebrate all that we are and all God has done for us this past year as we look forward to a new beginning full of hope and possibility.
In Christ,
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