Scripture of the week:
“This hope doesn’t disappoint us, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” – Romans 5:5

Hello Church Family,
I saw a post recently that said, “My five year plan is to make it through January.” I don’t know about you, but that one felt right to me. The last few weeks have been a lot, and it feels like one type of heaviness after another, it’s exhausting. That’s why I find myself particularly grateful for stubbornness lately. I’ve been accused of being stubborn from time to time, but the kind of stubbornness I’m grateful right now isn’t my own; it’s the stubbornness of hope and faith.

Our hope in God will not be shaken and it will not disappoint. Our faith will persist, like that weed in the sidewalk that dares to poke up no matter what you’ve done to keep it out. Our joy isn’t provided by the world, and the world can’t take it away. I’m grateful for the presence of the Holy Spirit that is so stubborn in my life that despite circumstances, faith, hope, joy and all the rest of it is still here, and will be here, no matter what comes. I hope you experience that stubborn Holy Spirit this week too.

This Sunday, we’ll complete our God’s Better Future series. Now is the time – if God has put ANYTHING on your heart about what our church needs to do or where it needs to go, please share that with us by this Sunday.

Our Administrative Board meets after worship this Sunday, please keep our church leaders in prayer. Lent begins on February 18th, and we’ll be offering Ash Wednesday services that day at 12pm (traditional) and 7pm (modern), both in the chapel. In a couple weeks, a group from our church leaves to take a Bible journey through Egypt, in March, church members will go to Honduras to serve with our Camino partners there. The life of the church persists and continues, on and on, and I’m grateful that we continue to find ways to praise and serve our God, even when things are a lot.

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Lindsay Kirkpatrick
Senior Pastor
[email protected]