It's Friday, But Sunday's Coming! 1.09.26
It was a great first week of 2026 at Mechanic Grove. We started the week off with a great worship service on Sunday as we began the Believe series. With the whole church engaged in Believe, there is some excitement as we move into January. Our first Roots Night on Wednesday was a big success as well. God has much so much for us in 2026 as we seek to believe and live out daily what we believe.
Thanks for all the birthday wishes. I was hoping that my birthday would sneak under the radar with the busyness of Christmas and New Year. But that wasn’t to be. I think that is the first time Happy Birthday has ever been sung to me in a worship setting. I give all thanks to the Lord for the years of life that he has given me and the wonderful people that are a part of my life each day. I am wonderfully blessed and you, our loving church family, are a major part of that blessing.
On Monday this week, we had our first Monday prayer time via Zoom. I am thankful for those that participated. Our next one will be February 2 at 7 pm. We spent time praising God, praying for our church and community needs, and then finally praying for our world and the church. I am looking forward to our first Monday prayer events in 2026.
Emma Dubble was hospitalized earlier in the week with severe cough and congestion. Scott Welch got some good news that his kidneys were functioning and that he had improved enough to possibly return home as he awaits a heart transplant. Let me encourage you to keep our prayer list handy and spend some time in prayer for the many individuals and situations on our list. May Mechanic Grove Church of the Brethren be known as a praying church in 2026.
Coming up next week is a busy Monday as the OAKs ministry will be watching the movie “Breakthrough” at 1pm in the sanctuary. We will have popcorn for you and afterwards ice cream for a time of reflection about the movie. On Monday evening, our commissions and Church Board will meet for the first time in 2026. As such, we will be installing on Sunday our 2026 Church Board in the 8:15 service and our Deacons in the 10:30 service.
This week in Believe we will be considering how the God of the Bible is a personal God. Our small group time will focus on how God relates to us and how He is actively involved in our lives. The message this Sunday will be based on the 23rd Psalm and how the Lord as our Shepherd cares for us. Should be another great week as we live the story of the Bible to become more like Jesus.
On the home front, Ruth and I look to begin taking down the Christmas decorations this weekend. I have been busy doing puzzles and am looking forward to the puzzle swap beginning next Sunday. Our daughters and son-in-law seem to be doing well, and Ruth’s sisters made it back home to South Carolina safely after spending a week with us. We are looking forward to celebrating January 22 with my parents as my father celebrates his 94th birthday. God is good all the time….and all the time God is good!
I am using the read through the Bible plan that is in the gathering area. I got a late start with it but have caught up and am excited to be reading through the bible a bit differently this year. This plan is not a beginning in Genesis and ending in Revelation plan but rather reading a different genre of Scripture each day. I am intrigued by this approach and anxious to read through Scripture in 2026 in this way.
On Monday, we had a staff meeting and Aliza had an amazing devotion. I had one ready just in case, but it wasn’t needed after her great devotion. My devotion focused on Simeon and Anna, those two older faithful servants of the God at the end of the Christmas story in Luke 2. Simeon and Anna are Christmas leftovers. They are leftovers from life, and they are not central to the Christmas story. I have never received a Christmas card with Simeon and/or Anna on the front. But when the infant Jesus was presented in the temple, these two Christmas leftovers saw the Christ child and knew that the Messiah had come. Why? How? Because they came to the temple expecting to see the promised Messiah. And God honored their faithfulness. Take a moment to read the story of these Christmas leftovers in Luke 2:25-38 and be inspired to come expectantly to worship each Sunday of this New Year.
Have a blessed weekend. Take some time to read in preparation for Believe Week 2 and come expecting a blessing just like Simeon and Anna. May we agree with the psalmist who declared in Psalm 122:1, “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to house of the Lord.’” I look forward to seeing you this Sunday but until then remember, it is Friday but Sunday’s coming.