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The most important resolution realization
By: Pastor Dave | January 12, 2025 | Holy Spirit, Leadership, New Year's Reflection, Pastoral Letter
Dear Found Family of Minooka UMC,
Here we are already 11 days into 2025 — how are those New Year’s resolutions going? Some research suggests almost a quarter (23%) of those who set resolutions quit in the first week(!). So if yours is still going, great job! Whatever that resolution is, I hope it is helping you be healthier (70% of all resolutions are health-related) or more content or feel closer to God.
I’m all for us setting goals and working toward them—both individually and as a congregation. However, let me reiterate perhaps the most important part of last Sunday’s sermon. A mashup of quotes from the Rev. Hugh Hollowell and the Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber:
“There is no resolution that, if kept, will make you more worthy of love. You, as your actual self and not some made up ideal, are already worthy. You are loved by God as you are, right now. You matter because you exist.”
Read that again. Then read one more time. In fact, just pause here and read it as many times as needed to really, truly internalize it. For You. Are. a Blessing.
With those beautiful and vital words of wisdom in mind, setting goals and working toward them is a big motivating factor for our Leadership Brunch & Workshop that follows our worship experience today. Not in order to make us worthy of love, but to strive to bring to life our vision of learning to be more like Jesus and serving the community.
So for 90 minutes on Sunday, members of Church Council, other leaders, and some additional interested folks will reflect on 2024, experience a bit of what is on the horizon for us in 2025, and experiment with some new resources. And, of course, we will eat. We are Methodists, are we not?? Our intended outcome is leaders equipped to succeed and fired up for our mission and ministry in 2025!
That’s all well and good for after worship; what’s happening during worship?
Our congregation is extraordinarily blessed by the sheer number of dedicated, talented, faithful people who give so much of their time and effort. I’m continually amazed by all of you! This Sunday offers one of my favorite traditions: celebrating outgoing leaders and blessing and commissioning new and continuing leaders.
Before that though, we’ll read in Acts of the Apostles a fascinating snippet of what struggles some of the earliest followers of God in the Way of Jesus experienced. Plus, we read the inspiring, scandalizing story of Jesus publicly declaring his purpose statement. Both stories heavily involve actions of the Holy Spirit. What are we to make of this most neglected and misunderstood member of the Trinity? What is the role of the Spirit in the text and, even more importantly, what is Her role in our lives today? I’ll consider those questions and more in my sermon, “The Spirit, She Moves in…”
Participate in our worship experiences Sundays at 9:30 a.m. either in person at 1210 S. Ridge Road in Minooka or via livestream on our Facebook page or our website (Ok, honestly, I”m not certain how well watching it through the website works. If you try it, tell me in the comments how it went, please!) Whether in person or online, all are welcome!
Plotting Goodness,
Pastor Dave