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Dear Friends,
It is time to focus on the work of Christmas. God, who loves us more than we can fathom, came to be born into this world to show us how to live with peace and joy and communion with Holiness. We have celebrated the mystery of this Incarnation through some wonderful Christmas Services, Christmas Pageant, Lessons and Carols, Amahl, Homeless ministry, and all the festivities which our congregation does well. Now that the angels have stilled and the Magi have gone back as witnesses to their own people, we look to the mission of St. Philip's and of our own lives, households and community. The "work of Christmas" begins.
I urge everyone to attend our Annual Congregational Meeting on Sunday, January 25, at 11:20 a.m. (following the second service). This is a family meeting to review the past year, discuss the household priorities and budget, and set our sights on the future. We shall elect three new members to the Bishop's Committee. (See me or outgoing members: Jane Ellis, Karen Krestensen and Carter Potts if interested.) We shall celebrate in particular the generous and faithful response you have expressed to our financial crisis last Fall when Triad moved out of the upstairs offices. Thanks to increased giving, effective fundraising and careful management of expenses, we expect to finish 2003 in the black, with all bills paid! 2004 will be a greater challenge. Pledges received thus far have shown a very strong commitment to St. Philip's and a faithful response to God's grace. We hope to present a very lean yet balanced budget at our meeting. But the "work of Christmas" must not be ignored, so everyone is needed.
Pray for our Diocesan Convention on January 16 and 17 in San Luis Obispo. St. Philip's will be represented by Cindy Hershberger, Bill Kelly, Scot Olivier, Mary Rhodes, Donna Seelbach, and myself. Our own Jim Sotelo has been elected by our Deanery to the Search Committee for our next Bishop.
Our scheduled Bishop's Visitation will be on Sunday, February 15. All adults and 11th-12th grade youth who are interested in Confirmation and making a mature commitment to follow Jesus, please contact me as soon as possible.
So, dear friends, keep reading the Bible (remember the Advent assignment?). Consider our several Bible Studies, the Compline and Centering Prayer on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m., and whatever personal spiritual habits are being helpful to you. Remember that I am eager to make an appointment to talk about spiritual "resolutions" for the New Year.
Here we go!: to find and heal and feed and release and rebuild and bring peace and make music.
Yours in Christ,
Martin
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