Merry Christmas! I hope that you are having a joy filled season and look hopefully to the celebration of Christ’s birth in just a few days. Not only am I preparing for Christmas Eve service, but also planning for 2018. Yes, getting ready for a new calendar year. After prayer and discussion with the staff, I would like us to focus upon “Life Together.” A season of recommitment to the ministry of Jesus Christ as members of the Presbyterian Church at Woodbury. On Sunday, January 7 during the 9:30 am service, we will have an opportunity to publically recommit to this body of Christ. Please prayerfully consider the statement below:
Journeying together as a spiritual community is a commitment to nurture one another’s desire for God and to support one another in seeking a way of life that is consistent with that desire. During 2018, we are seeking to recommit to our church family by more participation in worship, study and service. We commit to these practices for 2018 as members of the Presbyterian Church at Woodbury:
- Make our weekly worship service a major priority in my life
- Participate in our Sunday School or Small Group Bible Study
- Share my gifts through service as part of my church community
- Support and pray for one another
- Speak the truth with love and grace.
- Practice conflict transformation along the lines of Mathew 5:23-24 and Matthew 18:15-20.
- Unplug from technology when we are together
- Work to solve problems through communication and action
Prayer of Intention
O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
I pray that you will join me on Sunday, January 7th as we renew our baptismal vows and promise to fully engage as members of this congregation.
In Christ,
Phil