Notes from the Pastor's Desk

“A Reminder for the New Year”

January 14, 2026

In our relentless pursuit of individual liberty, self-happiness, and life itself, we sometimes lose sight of an obvious but often obscured truth: we really do need each other. This truth rang out on New Year’s Day for me and my family when we learned of my brother-in-law’s death. He leaves behind his wife and two teenage boys whom he dearly loved. Time and mortality now separate them indefinitely, but they are not separated from God’s love. Nothing can separate them or us from God’s love in which they and we are forever united. “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Ro. 8:38-39)

What my family’s tragedy reminded me of is the church’s gift of being an authentic, vulnerable, loving community in Christ. The faith we receive blossoms in good fruits. My family and I greatly appreciate and thank you for the graciousness and support shown to us through some trying times. But this graciousness does not surprise me. A good tree naturally bears good fruit. (Mt. 7:14) The Word of God creates a faith that blossoms in fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, and so on. (Gal. 5:22) As a flourishing community of faith rooted in Christ, we naturally bear this good fruit.

Of course, there will be plenty of times that we will fall short. We will disagree in harmful rather than helpful ways. We will ignorantly claim omniscience or self-assured virtuousness. In short, we will sin. But we will also forgive as we have been forgiven. (Matt 6:12) We will love as we have been loved. (1 Jn 4:11) We will bear one another's burden's burdens. (Gal. 6:2) If one member suffers, all suffer; if one rejoices, all rejoice. (1 Cor. 12:26)

This New Year take a moment to remember the truth that rises so prominently yet easily overlooked at the head of our sanctuary: the cross of Christ. “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” Jesus says. (Jn 14:6) The church exists to proclaim this truth in word and deed. We are called to share the gospel and deliver God’s grace to a world in great need of caring, abundant, new and eternal life. Thank you for being such a beautiful body of faith for me and for every precious person for whom Christ himself died... and then… rose again. 

In Christ,

Pastor Stephen Haverlah