Monday’s thoughts
“Well, What Do You Expect?”
It’s one of the best times of the year to lead worship and to preach a sermon — the last Sunday of the year. It’s especially interesting if you have an opportunity to preach on the Sunday that is New Year’s Eve. We’ve come to the end of one year and, as is true of most old years, there were some things about last year we are happy to be beyond. Also, there are some things about the past year that were good to us and we have an opportunity to look back as we look ahead.
What are our expectations for the coming year? What will happen in 2007? What will not happen? It is a time to anticipate and to raise our expectations. It is a time to predict.
The following are my predictions for the year 2007:
1. There will be a move toward peace in the Middle East. The nations of that troubled part of the world will become weary of the bombing and the terrorists and peace will begin to break out.
2. There will be established a sense of integrity in all of the major institutions. Church, higher edcation, business leaders have come to see that the greed and selfishness that has been a motivation for personal behavior is not healthy, and the health of our institutions is indicative of our general state of well-being.
3. There will be a greater sense of inclusion and sensitivity to the diversity of families. Domestic violence will begin to be addressed, and we will begin to move away from from of our judgmental attitudes toward gay couples who are trying their best to raise their children with the values of stability, commitment, and mutual caring.
4. There will be significant progress made in the religious communities in Fort Collins. We have moved well beyond our need to put each other down, and we will begin working together to confront some of the most difficult problems common to all of us (i.e. immigration, poverty, health care costs, homelessness).
5. There will be some important steps taken in our church. We have shown minimal growth the past two years. Our church is gaining more members than it is losing. We are moving forward with our outreach ministries, and we are attracting more young people into leadership positions. Our finance campaign was the best we’ve had in years. Having Carol Quinn, Ray Miller, and David Dalke on our staff brings to us three of the most capable clergy in the area. They are retired but they are not ready to stop being in ministry. We are very fortunate to have them working in our church.
What do you think will happen in 2007?
If you have thoughts you’d like to share with others click the “comments” box. If you’d like to reserve your thoughts specifically for me write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles
HAPPY NEW YEAR
