Come Alive in 2025

As a new year approaches, it’s natural to reflect on what the old year brought. 2024 has brought another season of change: A new mayor, new President, new Congress, and many new problems along with nearly all the old problems. In our church, we also said goodbye to several of our old friends and members due to death, moving, and General Conference, while we have been blessed to say hello to some new members, guests, and visitors. We said hello to Troop 1051, but we are also saying goodbye to them at the end of the year, as they relocate to another church so that they can be with their siblings in other units.

We also began “It’s Just… Dinner” in the summer, which has been a blessing. We designed it to help deal with the loneliness of our church and community, and it has helped, but 2025 will see some conversations about how we continue or change the tack so we can be more effective in combatting loneliness and isolation, particularly among the youngest and oldest of Hamptonians. And in terms of leadership, we welcome Alphonse Kasongo as our new council chair, Melanie Souder will join Pauline Snider as lay leader, and Ferdinand Clement will become our first youth lay leader. We have other leadership changes in PPSRC, and on other committees as well.

While we need to do some thinking and praying about where God is leading us to change this year, we also need to do the same about where we should hold our course. We want to retain and increase our welcoming capacity, our friendliness, our warmth, and our support. We want to celebrate and grow the wonderful people we have while we make space for the people God will draw to us. We want to remain rooted in traditions while we open up to new ideas and changes that help us be vibrant and reach out. I personally hope we will extend our mission outreach this year, both within and beyond Hampton. As well, 2025 will be a good year to connect with other churches in our community for fellowship and inspiration.

Above all, 2025 will be a great year for each of us to “come alive,” meaning to grow in our faith and spirituality, whether that means relying more on the Holy Spirit, stepping out to imagine God’s blessing on more people, stepping up to lead, or growing closer to God and our neighbors. One thing I am sure of is this: If we want to reach more people, our hearts have to grow larger as well. Blessedly, we are a church with a large heart to begin with!
It's my honor to serve alongside you!