Friends-
For a long time, I have used this time around the end of the year to look back at the previous year, and ahead at the year to come. Sort of a common practice I suppose. And in some ways, kind of pointless. I mean, I can't change anything that has happened in the past, and there is no way to know what the future will bring.
I think why I do it is to consider what lessons God may have taught me in the past year, what ones he might still be teaching, and what they might mean for me and the work I do going forward. And to remember all the ways he has blessed me. Because I keep a journal, this process is fairly easy. And I am always amazed at what I find...
What I find, pretty much every year, is that the year that is ending has been packed with lessons, blessings, adventures, struggles, and insights. God has been so good to me and to us! I shouldn't be surprised. After all, God is love, and his promises are sure. Apparently, he is also patient. Because it seems that I need to keep relearning some of the same lessons!
The new year is just a date on a calendar. But it helps me pause to consider what and how I'm doing. It reminds me we are moving ahead towards a wonderful future- life forever with God! This world can be great, or it can be hard, but the promise of eternity with the one who loves me most is keeps me eager to see what each new year, new month, new day holds for me.
I encourage you to ask God if there is anything he wants you to work on in this new year. Or maybe something he wants you to leave behind. He'll help you with all of it. He loves us so much! We can't know what the future holds. But we can know the one who holds the future.
Happy and blessed new year to all of you!
I love you all!
Gary
Calendar
Sundays - Every Sunday - Worship Service - 10:30 a.m. in person and via Zoom.
1/4 - Communion Sunday
- Still time to bring in your coins for benevolence.
1/11 - Pack up and put away Christmas decorations after worship service.
1/18 - Potluck and Annual Meeting after worship service
Wednesdays - Every Wednesday Bible Study - 7 p.m. via Zoom.
Thursdays - 1/8 - Church Board Meeting - 7 p.m. via Zoom.
1/29 - Coffee and Connections for Women - 11 a.m. Anderson Gardens
Other News -
Zoom - Contact Gary at [email protected] for Zoom link.
Packing Up Christmas Decorations - Sunday 1/11 - Our church looked so beautiful again this holiday season. But it is time to take it down and pack it away. Please stay after worship and help if you can.
Annual Meeting and Potluck - Sunday 1/18 - Plan on staying after worship on Sunday, January 18 for a potluck and our Annual meeting. Bring a dish or two to share for the potluck. Everyone is invited to stay and participate in the meeting. We will look at the past, the present and the future. Watch your email for the minutes of the 2025 meeting. Please read them ahead of time. We will vote on accepting those minutes. The new lift makes it possible for everyone to attend now. So we hope to see you January 18.
Coffee and Conversation - Thursday - 1/29 - Here is a fun opportunity for women to connect with each other over coffee and food and listen to beautiful music in the background at the same time. We will meet at the restaurant at Anderson Gardens around 11 a.m. Megs Daily Grind takes over for the winter months. They offer a simple menu of sandwiches, pastries, coffees, and other hot drinks. This day the music is two violinists from the Rockford Symphony. Please RSVP to Leslie at 815 - 985 - 6533 by 1/28. We need to know what size table to get, so please let us know.
Thanks - Thank you to Judy Murphy for the wonderful fellowship event we had on December 14. Thanks to the board for taking bags of goodies to our shut-ins. Thanks to Tim and Patrick Murphy for setting up our outdoor nativity set. Thanks to anyone who brought treats for Christmas Eve. Thanks to Gary's office at Anderson Gardens for donating our beautiful poinsettias this year. They will be looking for a home after church this week, so feel free to take one. Thanks to anyone who we forgot to list here!
Keyboard - We will miss Evelyn the next couple of months as she and her husband are down in Florida. We so appreciate her music, so will look forward to her return.
Baptisms - Anna and Griff Zick were baptized on Sunday December 28. It was a beautiful service followed by a great lunch. We were blessed to have so many of their family and friends join us that day. If you would like to be baptized, be sure to talk to Pastor Gary about it.
Looking Ahead -
Chili Cook-Off and Dessert Bake-Off - Sunday 2/8 - Get those chili and dessert recipes ready for our annual Chili Cook-Off and Dessert Bake-Off . Our friendly competition will be on Super Bowl Sunday after worship. Or Souper Bowl as we like to call it! We will head downstairs right after church. Look for a sign-up sheet later in the month. If you don't want to compete. there is other things that you can sign up to bring. Be sure to bring a big appetite!
For a long time, I have used this time around the end of the year to look back at the previous year, and ahead at the year to come. Sort of a common practice I suppose. And in some ways, kind of pointless. I mean, I can't change anything that has happened in the past, and there is no way to know what the future will bring.
I think why I do it is to consider what lessons God may have taught me in the past year, what ones he might still be teaching, and what they might mean for me and the work I do going forward. And to remember all the ways he has blessed me. Because I keep a journal, this process is fairly easy. And I am always amazed at what I find...
What I find, pretty much every year, is that the year that is ending has been packed with lessons, blessings, adventures, struggles, and insights. God has been so good to me and to us! I shouldn't be surprised. After all, God is love, and his promises are sure. Apparently, he is also patient. Because it seems that I need to keep relearning some of the same lessons!
The new year is just a date on a calendar. But it helps me pause to consider what and how I'm doing. It reminds me we are moving ahead towards a wonderful future- life forever with God! This world can be great, or it can be hard, but the promise of eternity with the one who loves me most is keeps me eager to see what each new year, new month, new day holds for me.
I encourage you to ask God if there is anything he wants you to work on in this new year. Or maybe something he wants you to leave behind. He'll help you with all of it. He loves us so much! We can't know what the future holds. But we can know the one who holds the future.
Happy and blessed new year to all of you!
I love you all!
Gary
Calendar
Sundays - Every Sunday - Worship Service - 10:30 a.m. in person and via Zoom.
1/4 - Communion Sunday
- Still time to bring in your coins for benevolence.
1/11 - Pack up and put away Christmas decorations after worship service.
1/18 - Potluck and Annual Meeting after worship service
Wednesdays - Every Wednesday Bible Study - 7 p.m. via Zoom.
Thursdays - 1/8 - Church Board Meeting - 7 p.m. via Zoom.
1/29 - Coffee and Connections for Women - 11 a.m. Anderson Gardens
Other News -
Zoom - Contact Gary at [email protected] for Zoom link.
Packing Up Christmas Decorations - Sunday 1/11 - Our church looked so beautiful again this holiday season. But it is time to take it down and pack it away. Please stay after worship and help if you can.
Annual Meeting and Potluck - Sunday 1/18 - Plan on staying after worship on Sunday, January 18 for a potluck and our Annual meeting. Bring a dish or two to share for the potluck. Everyone is invited to stay and participate in the meeting. We will look at the past, the present and the future. Watch your email for the minutes of the 2025 meeting. Please read them ahead of time. We will vote on accepting those minutes. The new lift makes it possible for everyone to attend now. So we hope to see you January 18.
Coffee and Conversation - Thursday - 1/29 - Here is a fun opportunity for women to connect with each other over coffee and food and listen to beautiful music in the background at the same time. We will meet at the restaurant at Anderson Gardens around 11 a.m. Megs Daily Grind takes over for the winter months. They offer a simple menu of sandwiches, pastries, coffees, and other hot drinks. This day the music is two violinists from the Rockford Symphony. Please RSVP to Leslie at 815 - 985 - 6533 by 1/28. We need to know what size table to get, so please let us know.
Thanks - Thank you to Judy Murphy for the wonderful fellowship event we had on December 14. Thanks to the board for taking bags of goodies to our shut-ins. Thanks to Tim and Patrick Murphy for setting up our outdoor nativity set. Thanks to anyone who brought treats for Christmas Eve. Thanks to Gary's office at Anderson Gardens for donating our beautiful poinsettias this year. They will be looking for a home after church this week, so feel free to take one. Thanks to anyone who we forgot to list here!
Keyboard - We will miss Evelyn the next couple of months as she and her husband are down in Florida. We so appreciate her music, so will look forward to her return.
Baptisms - Anna and Griff Zick were baptized on Sunday December 28. It was a beautiful service followed by a great lunch. We were blessed to have so many of their family and friends join us that day. If you would like to be baptized, be sure to talk to Pastor Gary about it.
Looking Ahead -
Chili Cook-Off and Dessert Bake-Off - Sunday 2/8 - Get those chili and dessert recipes ready for our annual Chili Cook-Off and Dessert Bake-Off . Our friendly competition will be on Super Bowl Sunday after worship. Or Souper Bowl as we like to call it! We will head downstairs right after church. Look for a sign-up sheet later in the month. If you don't want to compete. there is other things that you can sign up to bring. Be sure to bring a big appetite!
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