For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
(Isaiah 43:19)
The prophet Isaiah many years ago, became the voice of the Lord during one of Israel’s most difficult seasons as a nation. They virtually lost everything as the Assyrians, then the Babylonians, and finally the Persian Empires, kept them enslaved during a time of exile.
But Isaiah, who at one time warned them of the coming exile if the nation refused to repent, was now sending a different message. Enough is enough, whatever suffering and pain they had endured was soon coming to an end. God was in the midst of doing something entirely new. The season of suffering was now being transformed into a season of renewed hope and renewed prosperity.
There is little doubt that for most of us, 2020 has been a year where we have felt the wilderness and the wasteland, akin to the nation of Israel many centuries ago. But like them, we know that one day, one day soon, a new dawn will bring a fresh infusion of life from the Lord and the difficulties of the past year will be no more.
2020 may have been a year that introduced the words Covid, pandemic, social distancing, and a host of other terms to our collective vocabularies, but it was also a year where God was doing some incredible things in us as a church.
We celebrated our 50th anniversary, no small feat for a church, as well as seeing people come to faith and having others deepen their walk with Christ. We witnessed a community that adapted quickly to the changing ministry demands that the pandemic forced upon every church.
We also witnessed many within our church become the hands and feet of Jesus to others, and the commitment of a small army of volunteers and staff who went above and beyond to keep ministries moving forward – from Sunday mornings, to Life Groups, to youth, to Kid’s Connection.
As we look to the year 2021, we can confidently state that we will continue to do our best to deliver ministry that serves the people of Village Green. As in the time of Isaiah, we believe that God is about to do something new as 2021 unfolds.
So, at a time when many will be making resolutions, let us prayerfully enter this New Year in anticipation of what God will do, and rest in the confidence and hope that comes from trusting in the promises of God. After-all, God has demonstrated his faithfulness to Village Green for a little over fifty years now, and there’s no reason to think this year is going to be any different.
Reminders of Some of the Important Things that are Upcoming
The new restrictions are in effect until January 23rd, 2021. In light of this, there will be NO in-person attendance on Sunday mornings until January 24th at the earliest. Should further lockdowns be imposed beyond the 23rd, we will update you at that time. This also means that all Life Groups, Bible Studies etc., now move to online only.
Join us online on January 3rd, 2021, at 10:00 am, for our first service of the New Year! Matthew Burkholder will be speaking and Dale Mackness will be leading us in Communion (have communion elements ready at home if you want to participate).
On January 10th we begin a new sermon series, The Future Me. It also signals the start of a new Life Group session. You can contact the office if you are interested in being part of a group.
If you have any questions you can reach the church at office@villagegreenchurch.com
Happy New Year and Blessings as We Look Forward to 2021!
Jon Korkidakis
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