Friends,

Thank you for celebrating my birthday with me this past Sunday. The cards were delightful and the Tres Leches cake was delicious. I am so glad to have an extended family to share such special days with me!

I will be out of town on vacation this weekend, but you will have the opportunity to worship with the Rev. Lemuel Garcia-Arroyo in my absence (he is a good friend of mine, so welcome him as you would welcome me!).  I can’t believe that the one year anniversary of my “start date” as your pastor is coming up (February 15!). I will miss marking our anniversary with you, but I want to take just a moment to reflect on the journey we have shared in the past year. Here are a few of the highlights I shared with you at the Annual Congregational meeting a few weeks ago:

• We have studied together. We studied the Passion of Jesus, we studied parables and listened to ‘Postle Jack Tales, we studied the Book of Revelation and the Book of Jeremiah.
• We have worshipped together and prayed together and listened for the
• Word of God speaking to us. Each Sunday brings its own joys and opportunities.
• We have eaten together and celebrated together on so many occasions.
• We created and dedicated the labyrinth in memory of Jackie Wright
• and we dedicated the pathway in memory of so many other loved ones
• who have been part of our lives and part of this congregation.
• We deepened our relationships with the Hudson Bend communities –
• we ended some endeavors and expanded others.

In many ways it has been a year of getting acquainted, healing old hurts,
dreaming new dreams, and preparing to move into the future toward which
God is calling us. In every way, JR and I feel blessed to be part of this work
and this community. I look forward to what God has in store for all of us
together in the year ahead!

Peace,

Pastor Jack