“Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, and His praise in the congregation of the godly ones. Let Israel be glad in his Maker; let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King. Let them praise His name with dancing; let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre. For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation.”
(rf. Ps. 149:1–4 NASB)
Of all years that we have probably experienced, 2020 has to rank as one of the most challenging on record. We have endured an historic number of hurricanes, wildfires, the COVID pandemic and an election cycle that has seemed to endure long after the votes have been counted. To say that we are looking forward to a New Year is a great understatement. We long for a fresh start and the dawn in hopes of a new and less stressful day (or year, for that matter).
This change of years does remind us of the importance of hope and newness, no doubt. The opening of a new calendar gives an opportunity to make plans, to put down reminders of special occasions that still arrive, and the possibility to do something much different from that which we are normally accustomed. We can start again with a “fresh slate” and begin to carve out a novel path for the future, making needed changes and updates so that we do not repeat unnecessary actions or attitudes.
That which is beneficial for us as individuals is also a blessing for church fellowships. New years provide that much-needed respite to do an authentic overview of the past year or years and determine what things, actions, programs and such require a facelift. Because we are His ambassadors in Christ (rf. II Cor. 5), we should always be on the lookout for ways to make our approach to ministry and worship more engaging, God-centered and Biblical.
I know that we will have changes coming in the makeup of our Church Council. We have moved our worship service to the format that more closely reflects that of the Evangelical and Reformed Church order of worship that was the standard of St. John’s at its inception. We are in the process of enhancing our video capabilities to film the regular services for the benefit of our shut-ins and for those who are following our ministry here in the US and around the world. As we are able to make more grant applications this year, we will be able to complete the outstanding projects as part of our overall Capital Improvement initiative. And, so far, we are able to do all of this within the restrictions and guidelines put into place because of the ongoing nature of the pandemic.
We have much to be thankful to God for as 2020 goes rightfully into the history books and 2021 presents us “a breath of fresh air”, the joy of beginning things anew. May we use this gift of a New Year to make even more progress in our own spiritual journeys with the Lord even as we seek to do the same as a church. May the Lord continue to richly bless us and all His people in the unfolding of His plan going forward.
