“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Can you believe we have past January of 2025 already? Mike and I were talking about how quickly time flies. When we were in high school in the 70s, we couldn’t even begin to think or imagine the year 2025 and here we are! It is crazy! 2025 is here and before we know it we will hit that 2030 mark. The reminder for us needs to always be that God’s message for the world and hope for us is the same as it was in 1975… or 1965… or 1940…or 2033! Though time passes our God does not change! The truth of Jesus Christ and his message of life and hope have stayed the same. Thanks be to God!
So, we wake up in a new year and wonder where the last year went. We wonder if anything has changed and dream of what could be different. How did we get here? What did we miss? How has life passed us by? Did I do all that God wanted me to do? Maybe we begin to wonder if we have lived out of our baptism in a way that has brought glory to God? Maybe we even say to ourselves, “Dear God, work with me here!” I will let you in on a secret… God is working with you, with me AND with us, the members of Bethel! In fact, God has used us all in wonderful ways.
Earl E. Shelp and Ronald H. Sunderland in their book Sustaining Presence: A Model of Caring by People of Faith wrote of the importance of the whole people of God (that is each of you, along with the pastor) in caring for others and drawing people to Christ. The church (all of us) need to be able to share from our experiences with Christ, and the fellowship found in the church, in such a way that will speak to the pain of the world around us.
In 1 Peter 2:10 we are reminded that we are called to “declare the praises of Him who called [us] out of darkness into His wonderful light.” We are a unique group of people here at Bethel and we are called and commissioned to witness to others in our community of God’s love for us. We, you and me, are called to exist for all people as a witness to “God’s steadfast love for humanity.”
We attempt… we fall short… we get up… and God is at work through us again. Even though I know this is true I can still find myself overwhelmed at times, yet I know Christ is working with us day in and day out as we are being continually shaped for this upcoming year.
My hope for this year is to begin considering how it is we create ministry that brings the church to those in the areas where no church exists. East of Bethel there are no church buildings, though some churches are meeting in schools. Northeast into Green Valley and the new development east of Green Valley the story is the same. A Catholic church is present, however no other buildings.
I pray we can begin thinking outside of the box to enter into those areas with Bible Study groups, gather opportunities,… whatever God might have in store for us. Please begin to dream with me, for we are the “sustaining presence of God” in this place.
In Christ,
Pastor Barb
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Shelp, Earl E. and Sunderland, Ronald H. Sustaining Presence: A Model of Caring by People of Faith, Abingdon Press: Nashville, 2000. 33.
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