First, some comments about last year, condensed from my Annual Report. It was another wonderful year of growing and serving together, reaching out into our communities with acts of kindness in the name of Jesus, and connecting with new brothers and sisters while we offered thanks and praise to God in worship. There are literally hundreds of you serving in one kind of ministry or another! You make Bethlehem live! We were blessed once again with a net growth of 104 baptized members, attendance that climbed over 1400 for the first time, and a remarkable 31% increase in our giving, when Share the Spirit, outreach and regular giving were added together. We also started a new congregation for the second time in nine years, Jacob's Well. I have two responses: First, what a wonderful God we have, doing great things in our midst. Second, when we respond to God's love in Christ, and seek to do the work that God is blessing, God uses us. God is using US in great ways!

This means, of course, that God is by no means finished with us, and will be looking to use us more in 2007. We will be looking for new ways of reaching out and sharing the Good News in our communities, new ways of collaborating with other congregations, while developing new ways of growing our faith, serving and connecting with each other, and worshipping the God who loves us so much that he gave us Jesus.

Your own growth as a disciple of Jesus Christ will be enhanced by your participation in our Lenten journey this year. It will be a time of reflection and meditation on the overwhelming sacrifice Jesus made for each of us. It will be a time of worship, as we gather with the beautiful Holden Evening Prayer and special music on Wednesday evenings.  And it will prepare us for our Easter celebration, and the work God will be calling us to do as this year progresses.

I can think of no better group of people than you, the people of Bethlehem, with whom to share this journey, and this New Year...Thanks so much for your partnership in the Good News!

Pastor Christopher Nelson