Our Pastor

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Pastor's Paragraph by Joshua A. Steely

Happy New Year! May this letter find each and every one of you experiencing the blessing of God in your life and His care for you. As I freflect on the New Year, I think that we don't often see it as a celebration of our faith; but perhaps we should make it one.

After all, Christianity is all about newness. The Christian faith is a joyous, hope-filled celebration that an old life filled with futility and guilt and longing and fear can be replaced by something richer...something wonderful...something new. The apostle Paul says in his letter to the church in Ephesus,"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness: (4.22-24).

That may sound burdensome at first; putting off the old self is a change, and we really don't like changing. Holiness is certainly not easy. But think about how exciting it is! The all-powerful God has given to those who trust in Christ a new self, and that new self is "Created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." God is giving to each of us the opportunity to become what we were meant to be, to be transformed more and more into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

Let this new year be a time of joy for you. Do celebrate it, and do connect it to your faith. For God is willing to make all of us new if we let Him, and that is cause for rejoicing.