Happy 2024 LaSalle!
It was such a joy to gather with many of you last week on the first Sunday of the year and celebrate Epiphany together, and hear about holiday trips and time of rest, and both celebrate with you and hold grief and prayer requests together as well. I pray as this new year is launching that you sense the truth that God is with you, and for you, and that this church community is better with you, and your voice, and your presence being part of our growth and our foundation building in this season.
As we look out to 2024, I have been overwhelmed with thanks - in the six months since I began my role at LaSalle, we’ve grown in significant ways toward the vision and purposes God has for us in this chapter of ministry. We’ve actually doubled our attendance since this time last year, we’ve seen an increase in kids and youth participation that is visible and persistent, we’ve seen the value of our outreach ministries through Cornerstone flourish and meet the needs of hundreds of community members every week, and we’ve lived into a brand new rhythm of worship together that has gathered folks online, in service, and in worship in the Sanctuary. Thanks be to God for the places we’re seeing new growth, new life, and also for the things we’re learning along the way.
This coming season we will be continuing to focus on our Identity as a church, with our sermon series each looking at who we are in the church, who God is, and what we’re called to be and do together in 2024. We’ll also be focused on Growth this year, with a More Than Enough mindset - and not just growing our numbers, or giving, or metrics. But more so, recognizing that if God has called us to be hosts at an abundant banquet table, if we trust the kingdom of God is at work and is empowering us, then what is our part? How do we make room and expand for more to join us? How do we make room for more healing, hope, and community to grow? How do we continue to build on the legacy and beauty of our history, and stay rooted in God’s call to us, while expecting and welcoming the new thing the Holy Spirit is doing in our midst? We’ll be inviting the church to do this in various ways - with much more information shared at our Congregational Meeting after our service on February 4.
If you haven’t already, take a look at our winter and spring calendar here to see our plans for Sunday morning worship, Serve days, Sabbath Sundays, kids and youth programming for January through May 2024. Notice that our rhythms each month have shifted slightly - in response to your feedback, we moved the order of our Serve Sundays so that each month the usual flow is more like: Banquet, Serve, Belong, Sabbath. This means that we can have regular classes, community spaces, and kids programming on the 1st and 3rd Sundays each month.
And lastly, as the winter temperatures turn toward very cold numbers, I also want us to remember those who live outdoors or who have to brave the harshness of these conditions in regular ways. Pray for vulnerable populations this winter, help us clothe and care for our own LSC Breaking Bread and Senior Market neighborhood community by visiting our wishlist online, and keep in mind ways that we pass by, notice, and offer dignity to folk in our own neighborhoods and communities this winter season. Thank you LaSalle for being such a generous and committed Body -
With thanks for More Than Enough - RevDoc