A Note from Pastor Shelly

November

Wow, already we are coming to the end of the year. And maybe that sounds a bit early to be talking about, but not in church, because the church year ends a month earlier than the calendar year. The church year ends with the last week in November, and the new church year begins with the first Sunday in Advent, the first Sunday in December. It is a fitting time to begin the church year, since Advent leads us to the ultimate beginning and birth, the birth of Jesus, who is called Emmanuel or “God with us.”

Beginning with Jesus’ birth, the church year then leads us through the story and truth of Jesus’ life and death as it takes us through another year. And what we find as we follow the story of Jesus throughout the year is meaning and direction being given to our own lives and our own stories.

One of the things that amazes me each year is that this rhythm of following Jesus’ story from birth to death to resurrection and life, as we do in the church year after year, never gets old. In fact it seems to get “new” all of the time. As our lives change and as we go through beginnings and endings, peaks and valleys, we find new meaning in the words of Scripture, we hear God speaking to us in new ways, and we find in the words of Jesus new strength and hope and courage for the changing situations in our lives.

Each year as we immerse ourselves in the story of Jesus in worship we do so by concentrating on one of the three similar (called “synoptic”) Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Last year the Gospel of Luke served as our guide, this year it will be the Gospel of Matthew. Each Gospel tells the story of Jesus with different emphases and different angles. Matthew gives particular emphasis to Jesus’ Jewish heritage, to Jesus’ fulfillment of the prophecies in the Hebrew Scripture, and also to Jesus’ role as teacher who is both Son of God and Son of man. So here’s a “New Church Year’s” resolution for you, start the new church year by reading through the Gospel of Matthew. Read as much of you can in each sitting and feel the story as a whole. Then come to worship and hear the stories again as we walk through Jesus’ life together ever discovering how the Good News continues to be a “new” and good word in our lives.

See you in worship!

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Shelly