GOOD HOPE PARISH

Pastoral Ponderings

Pastoral Ponderings for December 2025

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November 30th began a new liturgical year, Year A, and following the Revised Common Lectionary, our chosen readings for each Sunday, the featured gospel is the Gospel According to Matthew. Matthew’s central theme is promise and fulfillment: God’s promises in the Hebrew Scriptures to bring salvation to his people Israel and to the whole world are being fulfilled with the coming of Jesus the Messiah. The Church’s response to this joyful news should be to go into all the world and make disciples (followers) of Jesus the Messiah (Matt 28:18–20).That is, after all, the mission we were given by Christ the risen King, the priceless gift from God our Creator. 

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The theme for this Advent season is “What Can’t Wait?” Each week we will build on this theme as we prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. For many of us, the next few weeks will be a flurry of activity as we search for the perfect gift for that special  someone - friend, neighbor, spouse, grandchild, the mailperson, hairdresser or housekeeper. It’s the same routine every year and each year, depending on how you look at it, the time goes much too fast or seems to drag on forever. The truth is, through our baptism, we have already received the perfect gift, the gift of membership in God’s family. I can only speak for myself when I say that there is no gift that is better than spending time with the people we love, and that includes God. As we near the end of 2025, maybe it’s time to realign our priorities and put God where God deserves to be: #1. When we rearrange our priorities and put spending time with God first, it is amazing how much closer to God we feel. I encourage you to spend time praying for one another, visiting with those who are unable to physically attend church, and reaching out to those who may have fallen away. You can give a gift that doesn’t cost anything but time. As we prepare to receive the Christ child this year, maybe you could resolve to attend worship not only when it is held at your “home church,” but every Sunday, not matter where we gather. Or invite others to attend our worship services. Just think about the benefits possible if every member of Good Hope Parish were to bring one additional person to church so that they too could grow in relationship with Christ and community with one another. You were new once too, and someone either invited you to church or an activity or welcomed you when you arrived. The gift of hospitality and welcome is one of the fruits of the Spirit.

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I want to thank you for Calling and allowing me to be your shepherd, aka, Pastor Peg. It is a pleasure and honor to serve Christ together. May the peace of Christ be with you and your family not only during Advent, but throughout 2026.

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Growing in Christ Together

​​Pastor Peg