Cultures in many lands have often looked forward to New Year’s celebrations. It symbolically offers an opportunity to reflect upon the accomplishments and mistakes of the previous year while simultaneously looking forward to the coming year with an opportunity to start over with new hopes and dreams. The Romans named the month of January after Janus, their god of beginnings and endings. He was depicted as having a head with two faces – one in the front and another in back – thereby demonstrating he could look backward and forward at the same time.

Doing so is a good thing. If you do not know where you have come from, how can you know where you are headed? With that question in mind, let us take a look at some of the journeys of this past year.

So how was your 2008? On many fronts for the nation it looked bleak: the collapse of the financial markets, the collapse of the housing markets, the Big-3 automakers face impending doom, layoffs are at their highest point in 25 years, an often ugly political race that turned incendiary on religious issues, continuing conflicts among the world’s religions – including stepped up persecution of Christians in some mostly Muslim and Hindu countries. Whew!

Whereas it was not all we wanted it to be, the past year was not all bad. In fact, the year 2008 was a good one for St. Paul’s. The economy may have taken a downturn, but the vitality of our congregation has taken an upturn. Though we have not grown numerically, our worship attendance has stabilized and, on more than several occasions, has shown distinctive signs of growth.

More persons are participating in the total life and ministry of the church. The church exhibits the greater joys of fellowship as more and more of our people are lingering during special events. Our visitors feel a stronger welcoming during the course of worship.

While some of these elements have been missing for a while from our life together, now, they are showing up again. You are also speaking optimistically about the future of this congregation. You have demonstrated a willingness to participate in the discussions about moving and a patient hope in the timeline. These are all good signs the church is on the right road to a renewed heritage. It bespeaks the strength and inner character of this church.

What’s ahead for 2009? A challenging year, filled with many wonderful possibilities. No doubt we will be tested and tempted, tried and challenged. But we’ll adapt and pull through. We’ll hear the word of the Lord, we’ll rally together, and we’ll rediscover that we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us. It will be worth it all, when at the end we can look back and give thanks to the Christ whose grace saves us, to the God whose love affirms us, to the Spirit whose presence strengthens and sustains us.

Pastor David

A NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION FOR YOU:

Count your blessings instead of your crosses;

Count your gains instead of your losses.

Count your joys instead of your woes;

Count your friends instead of your foes.

Count your smiles instead of your tears;

Count your courage instead of your fears.

Count your full years instead of your lean;

Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.

Count your health instead of your wealth;

Love your neighbor as much as yourself.

Pastor David