January 2026
Click to access January Steeple
Dear Church family,
I hope you were able to have a very merry Christmas, and welcome in the new year with ease. Half of our house came down with fevers on Christmas day, and a couple of those recovered only to resurface again!! Not the gifts I had in mind. Needless to say, the illnesses messed up all my plans. Visits with family and extended family we haven’t seen in years - poof! Not going to happen. Does that ever happen to you? How do you respond to unwanted change? I didn’t take it well - I was sad and frustrated, and definitely blessed by a partner who can walk with me through my frustration. We were more or less quarantined in our house until we could travel, which shortened our visit significantly. I was bummed! Yet at the same time, it slowed things down - made space for us to do some projects around the house, and for us to just hang out with the kids. It wasn’t in my plans, but it did make for some delightful days amidst the chaos of illness. On my best days, when I wasn’t sulking about the changes, I was able to pay attention in new ways to my family, to opportunities around the house, and honestly to ways God was at work even amidst disappointment and change.
This season in the liturgical calendar following Christmas is called ‘Epiphany’ - the general definition of ‘epiphany’ means a moment of sudden revelation or insight. For the church, this essentially is the fullness of Jesus’ birth story, and the Epiphany season is marked by the wise men or Magi coming to visit the birth of a new king (Jesus). While many in Israel had been waiting for God’s holy disruption of the way things are (oppression and occupation of the Roman government), these Magi weren’t looking or waiting for salvation, but were genuinely surprised and excited by the sudden revelation found in the star and subsequent discovery of Jesus. I imagine everything changed for them after their visit, just as everything changed for Mary and Joseph with Jesus’ birth, and we see the disruptive nature of how everything changed for God’s people throughout the life and ministry of Christ (and not often the way they expected or wanted). The birth story offers much rejoicing, while Jesus’ ministry reveals … mixed reviews. Alongside rejoicing, we also find reactions of sadness, frustration, anger, and anger pushed to the point of murderous intentions. But the message is the same throughout - God’s good news proclaimed and lived through Jesus. Relief for the oppressed, freedom for those in bondage, healing for the wounded, new life for every person willing to embrace God’s fullness in Christ.
Jesus changes things. And welcoming Jesus into your life isn’t a one time change, but it’s a lifetime of change, since knowing God is an endless learning experience. It includes these moments of rejoicing, deep joy and a sense of belonging. But it also means discomfort - as we practice forgiveness and grace, as we enter into conflict with the purpose of peace, as we acknowledge our frustration with the way things are (e.g. illness at Christmas) while also opening our eyes to what God might be inviting us to see and to know amidst the disruption and chaos of change.
As you enter into 2026, may you welcome change with wisdom, acknowledge trepidation, and practice faithful trust in God (for me this can include holding it in front of God and asking a lot of questions). May you know that even in the transitions in life that we do not choose - when we are forced to slow down, acknowledge things are different, grieve, or identify our frustration - God is with us. God is a waymaker, making what feels impossible possible, and offering paths through the wilderness that we may not be able to see on our own. May you know God’s closeness in whatever comes your way this year!
Blessings,
Pastor Becca
