Transitional Musings: January
Dear Friends:
It is hard to believe that a new year is upon us. Every New Year’s Day I sit with my very worn yearly planning calendar from the year past, and my new calendar for the coming year.
I take my time reviewing the past pages-the hopes and dreams, goals met and those left unfulfilled, written in the little squares, and I marvel at how much has occurred as well how differently things turned out than I had anticipated.
I also write down the few appointments already made for the coming year in my new calendar. I find the mostly blank pages of the calendar to be an exciting, hopeful emptiness awaiting my pen’s scribble and doodles, cross-outs and exclamation points. I wonder what the year will hold for me and those I love? Where will I be living and serving at this time next year? Where will my children be in their life events? What unexpected surprises and breathtaking opportunities await my saying yes? And all of it is recorded by a GO7 blue gel pen.
What events will be recorded on St. Luke’s calendar for 2019, both expected and unplanned? What history will be written by the faithful who worship and serve in this place? What breathtaking opportunities will present themselves? Which ones will be accepted, and which ones turned down? As a wise fellow clergy friend told me recently, “You can do anything you want, but you can’t do everything you want.”
2019 is going to be an exciting year for St. Luke’s. You will welcome your new rector and move into a new future. You will continue your outreach efforts with both old and new ministry partners. I have no doubt the music program will grow and deepen and that new educational and formational events will be offered. And as always, the gospel of Jesus Christ will be preached and the sacraments celebrated.
It will also be a challenging year for St. Luke’s financially as doing all these things is going to be a stretch and will require that everyone pull together and work towards a common goal of increasing financial health, increasing membership and increasing commitment to the internal ministries that allow the external ministries to flourish. But St. Luke’s has risen to other challenges and I do not doubt that will happen again. With each new challenge and goal set, remember that we are a people of hope and faith and that scripture tells us that nothing is impossible with God!
I look forward to seeing what God has planned for St. Luke’s and I feel privileged to be a small part of it. I wish you all new challenges and new blessings in this new year!
Your sister and servant in Christ,
Doris+