904 Washington St SE, Olympia, WA 98501
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For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:
The old has gone, the new is here!
2 Corinthians 5:17
January 2025
We stand before the vast open space of God’s Kingdom, here on earth. We forget, at times, that God’s reach goes beyond our limited sight and understanding. The vastness of the universe(s); it’s evolving expanse is humbling and mysterious. And all that God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, asks of us is to say:
Yes!
And once we say yes, to take that next step of faith and to come into the wide-open spaces of God’s making and make a path. A path of relationship, growth, service, love, grace, reconciliation and more. It’s a bumpy path. There will be times you and I will want to quit and go backwards, to a place or time where things seemed easier and better (think, the Hebrew ragamuffins wanting to go back to Egypt when in the wilderness).
However, God asks us to keep moving, forward, toward a future that God has a hand in and is preparing for you, for me, for us.
The scriptures above, speak to God’s faithfulness to us and God’s assurance of being present in this new life God has prepared for us to step into. A bumpy ride for sure, but one that is filled with joy, surprise, and life changing experiences. As we get ready to begin a new calendar year, we wonder what God has in store for us here on the corner of 9th and Washington. What surprises does God have for us? What obstacles may we encounter? Will we continue to see new faces in worship who become familiar faces and then a regular part of our church community? How will we handle change, transitions, and unforeseen circumstances? What if our worst fears are realized?
I know, that’s a short list of questions and concerns that nobody knows the answers to. But they are real, authentic, and reflect the ways we think, ponder, process the future and the unknown. But again, we are not alone. We have each other. We have the strength, wisdom and perseverance of the community. More importantly, we have this primary relationship with God. A God who guides, inspires, reassures, encourages and is present, in good times, bad and really hard times and who will not abandon you, me, us!
We are still within the Christmas season. From December 25th to January 5th, remember, the 12 Days of Christmas, the story of Christ coming into our hearts and our world is alive and present. We remember and celebrate hope, peace, joy and love. Christmas is not a one and done holiday. It is a season of being present within the story of Christ coming into our world, our hearts, our lives.
As we enter 2025, then, there is reason for optimism. 2024 was a good year for us as a congregation. I won’t bore you with a recap (maybe I will for February’s Windows). However, I think it is safe to say that we experienced positives in a variety of ways as a faith community… as the church of Jesus Christ on the corner of 9th and Washington, whether we are talking spiritually, relationally, and/or financially. We continue to look for ways to engage our neighborhood and community spiritually and relationally. We continue to look for ways to expand ministries that reflect our values of hospitality alongside relational and spiritual nurture, growth, and care. We continue to see new faces in worship on Sunday mornings. We have seen a small increase in giving as compared to the year before while spending less money. We paid off the loan for the new roof in a totally surprising and unforeseen time frame. Wow! We are in the midst of putting together a new framework of how we work together with the newly revised By-Laws and Constitution. All the while, we also realize we need to be mindful and on task to our commitment to being transparent with one another and for Church leadership, from the Pastor and Leadership Team, to communicate effectively and consistently with the wider congregational family.
I’m excited about the future. I’m excited to see what is next for us as a congregation as we enter the year 2025. We have so much more to give – to God, to one another, to the stranger, to our neighbors, to the unknown. Whatever we face, whatever we may encounter and/or create, we do so humbly; we do so lovingly; we do so as a reflection of the baby boy, who grows into a man who turned out to be the essence of God in human form, Jesus Christ. Christ is the one who calls us to live differently. And so, that’s what we attempt to do, each and every day.
Walk Humbly! Love Completely! Live Differently!
Blessings and Joy! Humble over Hype!
Pastor Mark (Rev)
(Happy New Year, from Kathleen, me, and the pups!)
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