Happy New Year 2025!
We have added a “Food Blessing Box” to our landscape and ministry for those in need to be able to grab non-perishable food items for a meal or two. Feel free to take advantage of these items. We also need non-perishable food items to replenish the box when needed. Please bring your items to church or add your items to the box. May ALL who give and receive be blessed!
LETTER FROM PASTOR DONNA
December 31, 2024
I saw a Facebook post yesterday that said, “If nothing changes in the next year you don’t have a new year, you just have another year.” Now, there is nothing wrong with just having another year; in some ways that’s what we all experience. The clock and the calendar may both say the old year has gone and the new one has begun, but in reality, it’s just the next day after today. Tomorrow will be Wednesday just like it is every week, and that is good, but it is the first Wednesday of a new year and somehow that does make it a special day.
Of course, New Year’s Day is often the day we begin whatever new resolution we have determined will be the “big change” in our lives. How many of us vow to make a change and are determined to do it, but after a few months, or weeks, or even days, we find ourselves slipping back into our old habits and routines? I cannot count the number of resolutions I have made and broken, can you?
Perhaps I didn’t succeed at what I was determined to do, but was I really that determined in the first place? If I really wanted to do something, if I really made it my priority, I would have found a way to get it done. That is how most people work. Do I really want to be a thinner, healthier, more well-read, more organized person? Sure! The problem is that I just want to wake up tomorrow and already BE that person. I don’t want to put in the work to get there. In other words, I want to skip the journey and get to the destination.
I think this Advent sermon series that we just wrapped up this past Sunday was a good lesson for those of us who want to skip the journey. As we journeyed to Bethlehem, making stops along the way, we learned lessons that taught us how the journey can be just as important as the destination. I didn’t realize until after we had finished the series how much I needed to learn that. I thank God for the Holy Spirit’s guidance through the series and helping me learn that truth.
This makes me think of another journey and another instance of something new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” No calendar or clock, but a simple acceptance of the gift of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior makes us a new creation – isn’t that amazing?!
When we are in Jesus, or when Jesus is in us, we are no longer the old person whom we used to be. It’s like a new year has come but it’s really a new life because we are changed by and through him. Verse 21 of that same chapter tells us, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” That is how we are made new – our sins have been forgiven, we have been washed by the blood of Christ, and through Jesus we are the righteousness of God. That is the gift of Christmas, and the gift of the Cross, wrapped up in one person, given to all who choose to accept him.
So, when we choose to accept Jesus and we are made into a new creation, we begin a journey of faith, a journey of sanctification (which means we are being made holy.) This journey will take us many places and teach us many things as we travel to our final destination which is eternal life with God in heaven. It’s important to enjoy the journey, to invite others to come along with us, to support and encourage one another as we go, and to remember that each day is as good as a brand-new year. Happy New Year! May 2025 be full of blessings and joy and great stops on your journey of faith.
Pastor Donna
I saw a Facebook post yesterday that said, “If nothing changes in the next year you don’t have a new year, you just have another year.” Now, there is nothing wrong with just having another year; in some ways that’s what we all experience. The clock and the calendar may both say the old year has gone and the new one has begun, but in reality, it’s just the next day after today. Tomorrow will be Wednesday just like it is every week, and that is good, but it is the first Wednesday of a new year and somehow that does make it a special day.
Of course, New Year’s Day is often the day we begin whatever new resolution we have determined will be the “big change” in our lives. How many of us vow to make a change and are determined to do it, but after a few months, or weeks, or even days, we find ourselves slipping back into our old habits and routines? I cannot count the number of resolutions I have made and broken, can you?
Perhaps I didn’t succeed at what I was determined to do, but was I really that determined in the first place? If I really wanted to do something, if I really made it my priority, I would have found a way to get it done. That is how most people work. Do I really want to be a thinner, healthier, more well-read, more organized person? Sure! The problem is that I just want to wake up tomorrow and already BE that person. I don’t want to put in the work to get there. In other words, I want to skip the journey and get to the destination.
I think this Advent sermon series that we just wrapped up this past Sunday was a good lesson for those of us who want to skip the journey. As we journeyed to Bethlehem, making stops along the way, we learned lessons that taught us how the journey can be just as important as the destination. I didn’t realize until after we had finished the series how much I needed to learn that. I thank God for the Holy Spirit’s guidance through the series and helping me learn that truth.
This makes me think of another journey and another instance of something new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” No calendar or clock, but a simple acceptance of the gift of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior makes us a new creation – isn’t that amazing?!
When we are in Jesus, or when Jesus is in us, we are no longer the old person whom we used to be. It’s like a new year has come but it’s really a new life because we are changed by and through him. Verse 21 of that same chapter tells us, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” That is how we are made new – our sins have been forgiven, we have been washed by the blood of Christ, and through Jesus we are the righteousness of God. That is the gift of Christmas, and the gift of the Cross, wrapped up in one person, given to all who choose to accept him.
So, when we choose to accept Jesus and we are made into a new creation, we begin a journey of faith, a journey of sanctification (which means we are being made holy.) This journey will take us many places and teach us many things as we travel to our final destination which is eternal life with God in heaven. It’s important to enjoy the journey, to invite others to come along with us, to support and encourage one another as we go, and to remember that each day is as good as a brand-new year. Happy New Year! May 2025 be full of blessings and joy and great stops on your journey of faith.
Pastor Donna
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Morning education classes
Classes for Pre K- Adults of all ages are meeting from, 9:30 am to 10:30 am.
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Young ones (Birth - Pre-K) - the nursery
*Pre-K - 1st Grade - downstairs with Ms Connie *2nd - 5th Grade - downstairs with Ms Roberta 6th - 8th Grade - downstairs with Ms Sabrina |
9th - 12th Grade - downstairs with Mr Chris
Young Adult/College & Career - in the library Russ Bowman's Class for adults - at Dunkin' Donuts Alpha and Omega for adults -in the Fellowship Hall |
Watch previous week's messAGES FROM pASTOR dONNA (AND OTHERS) ON OUR worship services PAGE OR ON OUR fACEBOOK PAGE (@ROOTSTOWNCHURCHofhope)
For more news, updates and info, check out our News page!
Habitat of portage county Apostles Build
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Apostles Build Story: The project that was started in July 2019 has been completed! The Hummel-Tucker family were presented with their home on April 25th at 2 pm! Blessings to the family as they begin to move in and get comfortable! Thank you to all who helped, prayed for, donated to this project!
