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Happy New Year! Well…almost. As we approach the New Year, there is always a sense of optimism about the future. It is a fresh start, a clean slate, and a chance to do things in 2022 that we couldn't or didn't do in 2021. The new year is a chance to dream about what will happen and what could happen in our near future. For my family, 2022 will hold the birth of a son; for other families, 2022 will hold the birth of a daughter, adoption, marriage, or grandchildren. Yet, 2022 will be the date after the dash on a headstone for some. 2022 will hold something different for each of us, yet it can be the year of something significant for us all.
As we move into this next year, it will be full of fresh starts and new opportunities in ministry, discipleship, service, and outreach. Maybe this is the year you serve on a committee or a team here at the church as you connect and care for others or our facility. Perhaps this is the year you get serious about joining a Sunday School Class or taking part in a Wednesday night study. Maybe this is the year you talk to Paul about joining the choir or Keven about joining the worship band, or you visit with Pastor Romnie about all the volunteer opportunities and find a place to get plugged in. This might be the year that you reach out to family and friends about joining you here at FUMC, inviting them to experience what you have found. Maybe you connect with people that feel disconnected and far away from a place and a people they once knew and loved.
One thing I know for sure is that 2022 will be different. There will be changes. People will come, and people will go. Ministries will begin, and ministries will end. The one thing that will remain the same is God's love for us. That love is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The differences in this year will be made in how we show that love to others. In 2022, you will have the chance to use your unique gifts, talents, and the opportunities God has given you to make a difference in your sphere of influence. As you find ways to be a beacon of hope for all, maybe start by asking this question: "How does God love me, and what do I do with that love?"
No matter what 2022 holds in store for you, remember that through the ups and downs, God loves you, and we at FUMC Longview do too! I hope to see you this Sunday (January 2nd) for our one combined worship service at 10:45 AM!
Blessings,
Pastor David
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