This newsletter submission brings us into the midst of the season of Lent.  As we look forward to Easter and the coming of spring, we reflect on our lives and thank God for the blessings he bestows upon us.  I always thank God for his presence in my daily life.  A wonderful thing happened at the bus stop with my daughter the other morning.  As we stood there in the cold, she reminded me that we should say a prayer as our day started.  Thanks be to God that the spirit is working through her at such a young age.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank God, my family, and the people of this church for helping her to know the Lord and all of his wonderful teachings.  Thank you for your valuable contribution to my daughter’s love of God.

I hope that you too feel the spirit of the Lord working in your lives, like I did at the bus stop.

The Deacons met on February 13th, the day before the big storm!  We were pleased to have Michelle Fahrner with us and hear her valuable input and ideas as our newest Deacon.

We hope that you all enjoyed the hymn sing in January.  We look forward to doing it again in the near future.  Thanks to Madelyn for working with us to make it such a success-without her, we couldn’t have done it!  This reminds me, that we need to be in prayer for the search committee as they work on finding us a new organist and choir director.  We will miss Madelyn so very much!

May the Lord bless you all throughout this season of Lent.

A special treat was in store for the worshippers on Sunday December 31, 2006.  Madelyn Betz, as usual, was at the organ, making beautiful music.  But the choir was given the day off, and Pastor Peggi was on vacation. 

So things were a little different.  Elder Pamela Matthews led the worship in addition to doing the Time with the Children.  Steve Smilie sang “I Wonder as I Wander” for the anthem; as always, we were awed by his beautiful voice!   

Then Organist Betz demonstrated for us all that she is answering a different Call from God.  She moved calmly from the organ to the pulpit, read the Gospel lesson, and preached!  She has one year of seminary left, and will be leaving us in the Fall.   

So 2006 ends with mixed feelings… joy and pride and high hopes for Madelyn’s future, all mixed in with sadness that she will be moving away and anxiety about the search for a new organist/choir director.  Once again, we are asked to trust the Holy Spirit to lead us all into God’s future.

As we begin 2007, we pray God’s blessings for Madelyn, Steve, Pamela, and all of you.

This last week of 2006 has been interesting, hasn’t it?  The news was full of reports of death… of President Ford, of Dictator Saddam Hussein, of Singer James Brown.  What a picture of our world!  Regardless of what you thought of each one, they each changed the world they lived in, and now the world will go on without them.  The fact that their deaths occurred at the end of the year reminds us that we are always living between the past and the future.

So, will 2007 be a fresh beginning for you?  What do you want?  What will you be doing to make that happen?  How will you partner with God in this New Year?