A New Year Begins

Welcome to 2016! The beginning of a new year is an arbitrary and artificial point in the cycle of the seasons, and yet we organize our lives around it. It becomes a milestone because we make it so. We are meaning-making creatures and making sense of our lives through a filter of endings and beginnings seems to be a very human trait.

So much has happened in the past twelve months, for you and for me. A year ago we could not have guessed what life held in store for us. Some of it left us laughing. Some of it left us weeping. Some of it left us wondering how we could be so lucky. And some of it left us wondering how to just keep going. Through it all we were not sustained by having enough knowledge or skill or control. We were sustained by the grace of God’s Spirit, often manifest in the form of the love and support of family, friends and partners in faith.

And so we stand at the threshold of a new year, looking back at where we’ve been and ahead to where we’re going. It is a foregone conclusion that where we find ourselves a year from now will be as much a surprise as this past year has been. Life is simply not predictable or controllable. Every moment of life is a transition moment. We are always moving from what is into what will be, and we cannot know what will be until we get there. What will sustain us on this journey is not being smart enough, or strong enough, or in control enough. What will sustain us through whatever experiences come our way is being open to the ever-present Spirit of God and the ongoing support of our partners on the journey. Thank you for allowing me the privilege of walking this path with you in this moment.

- Pastor Roger

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)