The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23
Pastor John Writes:
With the beginning of every new year, I carry a mixture of hope, gratitude, anticipation, and uncertainty. Maybe you do, also. Some of us may be setting goals, reflecting on the year behind us, or just wondering what the months ahead will hold. For times such as this, we can hear a steady and reassuring word: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
These words from Lamentations are especially powerful because they were written in a time of hardship. They remind us that God’s faithfulness does not depend on perfect circumstances or flawless beginnings. Instead, it meets us right where we are. Each morning — each day, each season, each year — God offers a new kind of mercy. Not recycled grace. Not leftovers from yesterday. Something new.
For our church family, this truth shapes how we enter the new year. We do not move forward relying only on our own strength, resolutions, or plans. We move forward grounded in God’s steadfast love. Despite our fears and occasional failures, God’s mercy is constant. When we grow weary, compassion sustains us. When the future feels unclear, God’s faithfulness remains certain.
We are now in the middle of our 251st year as a congregation. God’s mercies invite us to begin again — to forgive, to serve, to hope, and to trust more deeply. Whether this year brings joy or challenge (and most likely both), we can face each day confident that God is already there, as faithful as ever.
As we begin this year together, may we be a congregation which reflects God’s mercy, which never comes to an end. May our worship, our service, and our daily lives testify to this simple and everlasting truth: the Lord is faithful, and His mercy is new every morning.
Best wishes to you in this new year. May it be one marked by gratitude, renewal, and trust in God’s unfailing love.
In Christ,
The Rev. John G. Rights
