To the church of God that is in [Winnipeg, on Anderson Avenue], to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:  …in every way you have been enriched in [Christ], in speech and knowledge of every kind — just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you — so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ…  God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.   (From I Cor. Ch. 1)

We had a great Vestry meeting this week.  That’s not really unusual, at least here at the Cathedral, but I am very thankful for it.  There is real spirit of joy and thanksgiving in and for our community of faith, and trust in God for our future, true even when we were talking about finances and budget and the upcoming Annual General Meeting (23 February, 1 p.m.).  And why not?
We are not lacking in any spiritual gift, and God is faithful!

We have a great future, whatever may come; God is there in Christ Jesus, calling us to venture out of our comfort zone and into the discipleship zone.  We don’t need to be afraid; anything but.  In every way we have been enriched in Christ!  Wow!  Stop.  No, really.  Stop.  Think about that.

How can we not rejoice and give thanks?

We may not always feel like it; we may even be tempted to grumble and complain, to fuss and fret.  That’s normal, that’s human.  But it’s not where we are called to live as disciples of Jesus, not as a way of life.  We are called to joy, to peace beyond human understanding, and into a future with hope:  Hope for us as individuals, hope for this community of faith we call St. John’s, and hope for the earth itself and the whole community of creation.  God is faithful.

As we look together into this New Year, let’s breathe deeply of that joy, sink roots into that peace, and plan our life together, secure enough in that hope to reach beyond ourselves, and to trust fully in the One who is ever faithful.