Have you enjoyed your nice warm home this winter?  There have been plenty of cold days I have appreciated having a safe, warm place to escape from the winter weather.  This is something our  Social Justice Ministry Team was mindful of as they developed a 2018 strategic plan focused on promoting safe shelter for people who do not have any.  I am excited about the plan, and will be even more excited as we start to see our work helping others find safe, warm shelter.  Do you have any ideas or inspirations?  Please let our Social Justice Ministry Team know.  Are you already participating in an effort to provide shelter to others?  Let the team know this as well, so we can support your work.  As we all know, it can be a cold world out there, but with generous hearts and hands we can make the Northland a warmer place for all!

New Year blessings to you!  I hope that during 2018 we experience God’s hopeful presence in a myriad of ways.  May we, despite the continued chaos and brokenness of today’s world, discover new ways to bring God’s gracious love and peace into our own lives and the lives of others.  When we get discouraged because there is so much more needed than what we can do may we become more grounded in our faith to persistently bring goodness into the world.  As Mother Teresa said, “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” Let’s work on filling an ocean!