The Year of Gracious Living

Have you ever thought about what happened to the Wise Men after they left
the baby Jesus and went home? The account in Matthew doesn’t tell us very
much. It says they were warned in a dream not to report to King Herod, so they
went home a different way, a way they hadn’t planned. And when you think about
it, it makes sense. They had just met and worshipped the long-awaited Messiah—
of course their journey from that place was different. They themselves were
different. How could it have been anything else?

At our first Administrative Council meeting of the year, I pointed out that after
the year 2009, many of us were experiencing things for which we hadn’t planned.
How can we, as a church family, possibly —come home? from last year unchanged?
The answer is, of course, we can’t. Many of us are making detours from our
well-planned itineraries, and you know how we usually react to change, or even
worse—to the unknown.

Well, here is news that you can use: 2010 has been declared “The Year of
Gracious Living.” Simply put, this means that wherever you’re coming from,
wherever you’re going, or whenever you need help getting here from there, this
family called Muir’s Chapel has your back. If you need the support of a small
group, the United Methodist Men and Women, the Young Adults, the Singles,
and the OPALS are here. If you need help with your kids, the Children’s
Ministries can supply it. If you need to be needed, then GIHN, the building
teams, and Missions definitely need you. If you have music in you that needs to
come out, check out our Music Ministries. So many great events are in the works
here at MCUMC!

Perhaps, like the Wise Men, you’ve just met and worshipped the Messiah in a
stunning new way. You’re breathless! You realize that nothing will ever be the
same, that your journey from here on out is going to be different from what you
had planned. If this sounds like you, go back and re-read the previous paragraph,
because the same thing applies.

In 2010, in —The Year of Gracious Living,? we are all going to be different.
How do I know? I had the privilege—and I don’t use the word lightly—of
standing in front of those who, with God’s help, are in charge of making it all
happen, which would be your pastors, your church staff, and your work area
chairpersons, the Administrative Council. I looked them all in the eye as we
talked about the church budget, upcoming events, and hopes for this year. I
listened and watched as they gave their work area reports, and this is what I
heard and saw: Determination—Grace–Gumption. The ability to agree to
disagree, and to work on towards our common goal, which is to make Muir’s
Chapel a place where Jesus—and you—would feel right at home.

Won’t you come and go with us? God never meant for you to tough it out
alone. If you’ve been hesitant to begin your journey, wait no longer, because this
is a very good time to start. Come and go with us! Join us in our journey; join us
in this year of gracious living.

Peace and love,
Libby Wood
Administrative Council Chairperson