I am thinking heavily on the new year today. I'm thinking about how we celebrate and remembering celebrations from my past.
I'm think of all that has happened in this past year and looking forward to all that is coming in 2016.
I think we all do this, but this morning as I was thinking about it I was thinking how neat it would be to have a New Year's Eve service where we put 2015 behind us. Where we reflect on the year, both the bad and good and then we let it all go, kind of clean the slate for the new year.
Then I thought about how right it seems to start out a new year with worship! Doesn't that seem appropriate? To start a new year by spending time with God... together with others worshiping Him? To me it seems like the perfect way to begin again. Setting my heart straight, setting my focus for the new year, making myself ready to hear and listen and follow where God leads me. And how appropriate it would be to start out this way, not just on the first Sunday of the year but on the very first day of the new year. And yet, none of the churches I attend (and I've been regularly attending several with all my preaching) are having any kind of New Year's Eve or New Year's Day worship services.
I did a quick google search for New Year's Day Worship services in my little town but have yet to find any. Ok, so I just found one at a Lutheran Church in town that has a communion service on New Year's Eve, but that's it... one that has it listed online in such a way that google can find it. There are others listed in the next big city over but just the one I can find here locally.
I imagine having a beautiful service with candle light. Lots of candle light and music, prayers and scripture and communion would be nice too. I don't know that a sermon would be necessary, maybe a few encouraging words could be offered but I don't know that a sermon is necessary. It should be a service of active worship with plenty of time for personal reflection.
Am I weird that I'm spending time thinking and planning a service that's not going to happen? Wishing it could and that I could be a part of it? Well, I always have been a little weird...
Happy New Year, my friends! Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life! Live it, Love it, Ignite it!
I'm think of all that has happened in this past year and looking forward to all that is coming in 2016.
I think we all do this, but this morning as I was thinking about it I was thinking how neat it would be to have a New Year's Eve service where we put 2015 behind us. Where we reflect on the year, both the bad and good and then we let it all go, kind of clean the slate for the new year.
Then I thought about how right it seems to start out a new year with worship! Doesn't that seem appropriate? To start a new year by spending time with God... together with others worshiping Him? To me it seems like the perfect way to begin again. Setting my heart straight, setting my focus for the new year, making myself ready to hear and listen and follow where God leads me. And how appropriate it would be to start out this way, not just on the first Sunday of the year but on the very first day of the new year. And yet, none of the churches I attend (and I've been regularly attending several with all my preaching) are having any kind of New Year's Eve or New Year's Day worship services.
I did a quick google search for New Year's Day Worship services in my little town but have yet to find any. Ok, so I just found one at a Lutheran Church in town that has a communion service on New Year's Eve, but that's it... one that has it listed online in such a way that google can find it. There are others listed in the next big city over but just the one I can find here locally.
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| Photo from http://www.freeplovdivtour.com/blog/bulgarian_christmas |
I imagine having a beautiful service with candle light. Lots of candle light and music, prayers and scripture and communion would be nice too. I don't know that a sermon would be necessary, maybe a few encouraging words could be offered but I don't know that a sermon is necessary. It should be a service of active worship with plenty of time for personal reflection.
Am I weird that I'm spending time thinking and planning a service that's not going to happen? Wishing it could and that I could be a part of it? Well, I always have been a little weird...
Happy New Year, my friends! Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life! Live it, Love it, Ignite it!
