From the Pastor: January 5, 2004

     Happy New Year! How often have you said and/or heard that phrase in the last week? Another question – does it really seem like four years since we were welcoming a new millennium? How much has happened in those intervening four years! When we stop to think of that, it seems more like a decade! The events of 9/11 have resulted in new fears, new security measures, new political alliances. . .and the list goes on.

     Have you ever stopped to think about that word "new" and our Christian faith? Last Sunday, we considered the "new covenant” as described by the prophet Jeremiah, and we renewed and reaffirmed our Church Covenant before we came to the Lord’s Table. The “Words of Institution” quote Jesus saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood.” Jesus spoke to Nicodemus of the need to be “born again”, leading to our phrase, “the new birth.” Peter wrote of believers as having been born anew , and Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new ! Peter tells us to desire the Word of God as newborn babes desire milk. Jesus gave a new commandment – that we love one another as he loved us. The Psalms, Isaiah and Revelation all speak of a new song (I preached about that last summer), and Revelation describes the new heaven and new earth.

     So, as we begin a new year, let’s consider anew the wonder of it all. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22, 23)

      Sincerely,

      Pastor Harriet

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