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Last Sunday we saw Jesus call disciples at the shores of the Sea of Galilee. First, asks Simon Peter to take him out on a boat to preach to the crowd. Then he asks them to go fishing even though they probably know 10x what he knows about fishing! This is the first step of calling the disciples. The miracle of a huge catch of fish is a sign that following Jesus leads to abundant life. The greater miracle still is that the disciples leave everything and follow Jesus.

Last Sunday, January 19, we heard God's word from Luke 4, where Jesus goes home to Nazareth to preach. He reads from Isaiah 61 - good news for the poor, blind, oppressed, and enslaved. This mission of good news is heard as not-so-good news by the people of Nazareth. They preferred that God not include those other people, like the Gentiles in surrounding towns. Jesus' mission is always for the good of all peoples/nations/groups, not just our own. It always has been, from Adam and Abraham onward.

We also held a congregational meeting on Sunday after the service. We elected Milton Pott as Elder and Ryan Bascom and Keith Vander Slik as deacons. We approved the budget as well. Read the minutes of our meeting here.

On Sunday, we began the service with a Call to Worship from our brothers and sisters at the Washington, DC CRC:

"As followers of Jesus Christ,

living in this world—

which some seek to control,

and others view with despair—

we declare with joy and trust:

Our world belongs to God!"

We heard God's word through the prophet John (Luke 3:1-22): "Repent!" In his ministry, John (and later Jesus) calls people to turn away from sin and turn toward God. Repentance requires changed lives. It social implications for John: justice in community, in work, and in government. All of us need to hear God's call to repentance again and again.

Last Sunday, we heard God's word from Luke 2, of Jesus as a boy in the temple. He goes missing and turns up with the teachers of the law - listening, asking questions, and being about "his Father's business." Jesus will meet some teachers of the law again at the end of his life, and it won't go as well. They will condemn him to die.

Merry Christmas! This week, we celebrated the birth of Jesus. I pray God blesses you with joy and peace in this season. We heard the story of how the shepherds came to worship the child and went to share the good news.

Last Sunday we heard the stories of Simeon and Anna in Luke 2. They were prophets who recognized the coming of the Messiah as a baby. They blessed him and spoke God's words of promise for his life and for the salvation of Jews and Gentiles alike.