Happy New Year! In addition to this traditional greeting, I recognize these words do not carry the depth of my intention for each of you individually or collectively. I pray and hope that we all experience good health and joy in our lives, yet I also pray and hope this January can be a time of reflection. The winter season invites me to draw inward to reflect upon my beliefs in the power Jesus has in our lives to heal and make new, what we cannot. Here are some of the questions I pose to myself: What is my intention or prayer for this New Year? Will a word come to me this year that will embed me in God’s love and will resonate in my actions? What will help me clear energy that is stagnating in my body and heart to make room for Jesus? What are my practices to ensure this happens even when I do not “feel” like it or “feel” closer to Jesus in the process?

So my thoughts move from the heart and spirit and back to the “minding” of our church body. Our Advent was engaging and strong in preparing for our Lord’s coming in to our world. We had Christmas Eve services that ushered Jesus in to our lives with joy filled hearts. Out next step is ….. to be aware enough and rooted enough in God’s love to “witness” the epiphanies surrounding us?

January is a full month of planning for our journey and determining the path we want to follow. The Church Council is meeting on January 7th to further define our budget recommendations. We meet with all of you on Sunday, January 19th to share and discuss our budget and planning recommendations. We gather the following Sunday on January 26th for our Annual Meeting to firm up our plan and vote. It is an action month, perhaps based on the questions I and we answer from the first paragraph.

I look forward to co-creating and envisioning a path with you for the New Year!

Peace,

Erlinde