​HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Another new year filled with hope and promise - and unfortunately, still the virus.  Hopefully our church family are well, especially those who have had the virus in their midst.  I personally know about ten people who have had the virus - and fortunately recovered.  I pray that people will stay home and avoid catching and spreading the virus to others.

On Sunday, Patricia Power mentioned that the Sunday church service is the anchor for her week.  How many of us lose track of the days, but with church on Sunday as an anchor, how much easier it is to keep track.  It is a way to ground ourselves, too, in our Christian faith.  To think that for over 2000 years, people around the world have heeded God's word in the fourth commandment ""Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Exodus 20 verse 8).  Then there is Hebrews 10 verse 25, I Timothy 3 verse 15b, and Psalm 107 verse 32, among others that encourage us to gather together to worship.  While we cannot touch each other, with Zoom services we can at least gather online and attend services.  I encourage you to use this new year to get back to the basics of our faith.

Many people regretted that the holidays were not the same as in previous years - regrets for what might have been.  While most of us have wonderful memories of Christmases past and family visits, I wonder if they include all the work of decorating, preparing meals, cleaning - or like the year Paul and I drove 7-½ hours through a blizzard to be with his mother for Christmas - a drive that normally would take less than four hours or the year my Dad died Christmas morning.  So many memories.  Well this year, we made new memories to add to memories of other Christmases.

So now we have another year full of promise and hopes.  What will it bring?  I hope for our congregation a return to services in church in increasing numbers, fundraising - we will need to pay the bills after all, and more ecumenical and community involvement and more volunteers to serve.  Will we be able to count on you?

God bless,

Ellen