January 2025

You have made the necessary preparations for a trip, a change, a life transition. But somewhere along the way you realize you forgot the toothpaste. Despite all the preparations, there are things we realize once we have set out, that we need. Maybe we need more patience, more insight, better maps.

During the summer, in worship we focused on Isaiah 40:28-30 and how God is our fuel, our sure provision, our source of renewal and strength. In the Fall we talked of how God’s provision readies us for Christ’s commission to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). And now with the beginning of the new year, having ventured out to make disciples and joining in God’s transforming work in the world, we are realizing that there are things we need. We need a reminder that we are gifted by God with a variety of gifts. We need to be equipped for the servant work entrusted to us. We need unity and knowledge and a groundedness when everything seems to be changing. We need to be held together and nourished in love.

Our theme verse for January – May 2025 will be Ephesians 4:11-16:

The gifts God gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. God's purpose was to equip God's people for the work of serving and building up the body of Christ until we all reach the unity of faith and knowledge of God’s Son. God’s goal is for us to become mature adults—to be fully grown, measured by the standard of the fullness of Christ. As a result, we aren’t supposed to be infants any longer who can be tossed and blown around by every wind that comes from teaching with deceitful scheming and the tricks people play to deliberately mislead others. Instead, by speaking the truth with love, let’s grow in every way into Christ, who is the head. The whole body grows from him, as it is joined and held together by all the supporting ligaments. The body makes itself grow in that it builds itself up with love as each one does its part.

It has been said that God doesn’t call the qualified, but qualifies the called.

So, let’s get ready and join in all the ways God is qualifying and equipping us for good work and witness in the world.

Tom