Happy New Year! With Christmas carols still ringing in our ears, we enter into this New Year of our Lord that is 2024. The truth is that no matter what year it is, it’s all about Jesus – a great way to begin the new year!

Once again, Being SJLC 2024 will be our congregation-wide emphasis for four weeks in January and early February. For more than ten years, we have focused on this theme during the Epiphany season. The “SJLC” stands not only for St. John’s Lutheran Church, but also stands for Serving Jesus – Living in Community. This is about growing in faith as Jesus’ disciples today as we follow where Jesus is leading in the mission field of our own neighborhoods – where we live, work, go to school, etc. It’s about recognizing and acting upon the opportunities to be that neighbor Jesus calls us to be in daily life. It’s about  living out those five mission practices we learned in Joining Jesus on His Mission: 1) seeking the kingdom; 2) hearing from Jesus; 3) talking with (and listening to) others; 4) doing good; and 5) ministering through prayer. Being SJLC 2024 begins the weekend of January 14, and concludes the weekend of February 4. Here are some highlights of what’s ahead:

• Serving Opportunities will include gathering supplies needed for newborns and moms to assist area agencies that provide help in time of need. Plans are also underway to partner with St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Springfield again this year to sponsor a hypothermia shelter for the homeless. Watch for more information on both of these serving opportunities. Don’t forget our monthly “Share Sunday” for Koinonia that is the first Sunday of each month – January 7! To learn more, go to Food Pantry And Clothing Closet, Emergency Financial Aid With Counseling - The Koinonia Foundation, inc. - Alexandria, Va (koinoniacares.org).

• Bible Studies and Missional Communities are starting up at the beginning of this New Year. Stacey Crosson will lead a Sunday morning Bible study on Psalm 46, entitled “Be Still and Know,” which begins on Sunday, January 7. Workbooks for this class are $14 each and can be purchased by registering for this class with this link. Looking for something different? Consider a missional community. These are small groups that bring people together to strengthen and encourage us to live out the five mission practices listed above. Different groups meet at different times. Joining Jesus on his mission and living missionally in daily life happens wherever we are in daily life. For more information, contact the church office (office@sjlc.com).

• St. John’s App is being launched that will enable anyone with a smart phone to utilize this new tool. We are excited about this, and preliminary responses from test groups in the congregation have been extremely positive. We are now going congregation-wide! Like any app, the St. John’s App will be downloadable from whichever online app store you may use. St. John’s App will enable you to receive news and information, update your profile, give financially, etc., all from your mobile device. We use apps on our phones on a daily basis, and we pray that this new St. John’s App will prove to be a wonderful tool for mission and ministry. Watch for more information!

• Worship & Preaching will lift up themes week by week that will be drawn from the appointed Scripture lessons in the season of Epiphany, which is all about the Light of the world – Jesus – expanding and going out into the world. As Jesus’ hands, feet and mouth in the world, He would use each one of us to be his Light-bearers as we point others to his grace and mercy.

• Fellowship Opportunities include a congregational potluck on Sunday evening, January 21 at 5:00PM in the Fellowship Hall. A potluck meal is a great opportunity to enjoy food and fellowship with one another, enabling us to become better acquainted with fellow members of our congregation. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend!

May this New Year be one of great blessing from the Lord’s hand for each one of us and for our congregation as we join Jesus on his mission!