Dear Church Family,
Charles Dickens began his masterpiece, A Tale of Two Cities, with the unforgettable lines: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity.” Is it just me, or do those words sound frighteningly appropriate to the age we’re in the middle of right now? As we approach the New Year, war… and poverty… and political upheaval…and racism…and climate change…and pandemic… and calamity ad infinitum seem to describe the world situation.
You may be thinking about now, “Wayne, you idiot, what kind of New Year’s letter is this? You’re supposed to be offering hope and encouragement as we turn another page of the calendar.” Well, I’ve got bad news (see above paragraph) and good news for you as we approach the dawn of another year together. Here comes the Good News…
- “God loves you and there is absolutely nothing you can do about that.” I don’t know where I heard that, but I like it. Our faith tells us that the very nature of God is love. We must internalize that thought as we seek to do our part to meet the needs of the world.
- Humanity has all the tools we need to deal with the world’s problems. All we need is the will to act. There are hungry people in Conroe and we have decided to do something about it. It is that decision to act that is so critical. And there are groups around the world who have organized to help people live fuller lives. I am encouraged by humanity’s capacity to care. Pick your groups to become involved in and get busy. The world needs YOUR help.
- The best way to deal with division is to increase understanding. Seeking to understand those who worship differently, relate differently, and have different political and cultural beliefs can have a tremendous effect. It is hard to have malice toward someone you are getting to know. Increase your circle of friends.
- Become an advocate for our planet. There are literally hundreds of small changes that each one of us can make to help take care of the only home we have, planet earth. One of our goals at FCCC for 2023 needs to be getting our “Livingly Lightly” group up and running.
- In 2023 resolve to do just a bit more each day to make the earth a better place to live. Pay close attention to what’s going on around you and invest yourself in life. Let a chance encounter with a stranger be the beginning of a new friendship. Never pass up an opportunity to smile. Perform a random act of kindness on a regular basis. Live well and pass it on.
Happy New Year.
First Christian Church
3500 N Loop 336 West
Conroe TX 77301
Sunday 10:45 a.m.
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