As we step into a brand-new year, many of us feel a familiar mix of hope, anticipation, and perhaps a bit of uncertainty. January often invites us to pause, reflect, and ask meaningful questions: Who am I becoming? What truly matters? How will I live this year differently?
The beginning of a new year is not just about resolutions we may or may not keep. It is an invitation to renewed determination – determination in how we live, how we love, and how we follow Jesus Christ in our daily lives.
We enter 2026 aware that the year ahead may not be as bright or as easy as we might hope.
The world continues to wrestle with division, injustice, fear, and fatigue. Yet as people of faith, we do not wait passively for brighter days; we participate in God’s work of bringing light into the world. Jesus reminds us, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). Light is not something we merely admire; it is something we embody.
This year, let us commit ourselves anew to being disciples of Jesus Christ, not only in words, but in action. Discipleship shows up in everyday places: in our homes, our workplaces, our schools, our neighborhoods. It takes shape when we choose justice over indifference, mercy over judgment, grace over resentment, and love over fear. These choices, though sometimes small, have the power to illuminate even the darkest spaces.
Our determination in 2026 can take many forms. It may mean deepening our faith through prayer and Scripture. It may mean showing up more fully in worship and fellowship. It may mean participating in ministries of compassion, standing with those who are marginalized, or extending kindness where it is least expected. When we live this way, our faith becomes visible, not perfect, but faithful. Most importantly, we do not walk this journey alone. We are Church together. We encourage one another, serve side by side, and remind each other that God is still at work, within us and among us.
The strength of our church is not found in any single person, but in our shared commitment to live out the gospel together. As we begin this new year, may we do so with renewed determination and hopeful hearts. May we trust that God goes before us, walks with us, and calls us to be light for the sake of the world.
Grace and peace to you in 2026,
Pastor Jacob