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?