It’s January, which means it’s time for us to sprint to the finish line of our annual giving campaign! So far, two-thirds of the congregation have pledged, and we give thanks to these members who have maintained or increased their pledge. We are about $88,000 short of what we need to maintain operations. This month, we ask for the remaining one-third to step up, as well, so we can close the gap—a very achievable goal—and create our budget plans for 2026. Every pledge counts a

As we start our new year together, still in Christmastide, I would like to share Howard Thurman’s well-known poem “The Work of Christmas.” Howard was born in Daytona Beach, Florida, just 34 years after the end of the Civil War. He was raised by his grandmother, who had been enslaved on a Florida plantation during her lifetime. Howard grew up to be an author, a theologian, a pastor, a mystic, and a primary mentor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He witnessed great change

This season we have so much to monitor. Our to-do lists, our family dynamics, our blood pressure—to name just a few! We also monitor the news and find it is not good. Tragedy and uncertainty top the headlines. In times like these, we must be extra diligent in caring for ourselves. Remember the truism that “if you don’t take a break, God will give you one.” Being of service requires service to self. Last Monday, I had a joyful evening playing pool with three of our parishione