"New Year, New Promises, New Direction"
January 2025
"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.' The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him." (Lamentations 3:22-25 NIV)
Dear Friends,
As we begin another year, we are mindful of all the ways we have been blessed. Though we doubtless have had to face many challenges, at the same time, we have experienced God's mercy, as He has come to our rescue and help time after time. We will continue to face challenges as individuals and as a church family, but we will not be facing them alone: God will be with us and will be victorious over them.
The challenges we face as a church family are also ones that not uncommon to all churches: attendance is down; the financial burdens placed on people means that all churches are struggling financially; and the Church in general is struggling to figure out its relevance in a world that has largely become dominated by conflicts over political and social issues. It would be easy to give up and go along with the hopelessness and pessimism that has been expressed over the past couple of years. However, God offers us an alternative: place our hope in Him, and remain faithful to the true mission to which He has called us. It would certainly be easy for us to plunge headlong into despair, but we have a higher calling with a prize: to continue to proclaim God's unconditional love for all people in Jesus Christ; even more boldly proclaim God's free gift of forgiveness, a fresh start, and salvation to all who believe and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior; be a supportive, loving, accepting family towards each other and our neighbors; be a positive witness to our identity as God's people; serve the needs of our community and bring hope to those in need; and encourage and support each other as we continue in our journey in faith and trust in God towards eternal life. If we nurture our personal relationship, discipleship, and walk with God, especially by prayer, daily Bible reading, and acts of mercy and kindness towards others, we will be able to strengthen our families, and our church family in our Christian life together. In other words, the more we are able to practice our Christian faith on our own, the more we will be able truly to act as Christians toward each other and our neighbors. Our attitude and mentality ought not to be "Us Against the World," but rather, "Us In the World For the Sake of the World" - the very mission of Jesus Himself. One of our prayers in this coming year, therefore, ought to be how we can be rich blessings to our neighbors and community, just as God has blessed us richly.
Another year also brings a new chapter in our church family's story: much change has taken place over the past couple of years, especially as we have adapted to the new realities brought on by recent events and ever-evolving local demographics. However, this is no way cause for pessimism: instead, we are presented with an opportunity to find ways to reach out to our neighbors and show everyone we know what we have to offer as a church family. We are certainly unique, and we can rejoice in and celebrate our uniqueness. We can also treasure our history and theological understanding; and the legacy and heritage of those who helped make our church family what it is today, while at the same time continue to search for new ways to spread the good news of Jesus in a way that is relatable both to today's culture as well as to our local area. We are to realize that we cannot recreate the past, but, with God's help and direction, we can adapt to the present and future. However, this is something which is truly going to be a team effort, rather than just one person charting the direction. Therefore, we welcome any and all suggestions, from everyone, of what to try and where to go, and encourage everyone to have this attitude: that we are truly being presented and blessed with an opportunity to move forward into the future, in ways that God will show us to be able to meet the needs of and speak to those in the present and the future. We especially welcome suggestions for how to meet the present and future in the worship service; fellowship opportunities; outreach efforts; and service endeavors. So we can trust in God, because He is giving us a truly fresh start, as we remain faithful to His calling and mission.
In Christ,
Pastor Jon Kibler
