Over the next couple of weeks, we may experience a mixture of emotions. We close out a year looking back at our own expectations, our failures, and our accomplishments. We may have connected with family members, wore ourselves out over plans and decorations, cleaning house and redecorating. If we are prudent, we will discern where the Lord has grown us, shepherded us, protected us, and where He intends to lead us.

The New Year brings with it a whole new season to begin-again. As we reflect on the year past, we are enabled by those memories to look forward. Where will the Lord provide new moments for meditation, sanctification, and the exercise of spiritual gifts in the fellowship of our membership?

I have prayed and reflected over the needs of our membership, sought discernment from the Lord as to where He is leading us in vision, mission, and shepherding our discipline. I believe the Lord has transformative work for us in 2026. One movement in this wonderful work is a journey of exposition through First and Second Peter. The calendar is planned! Lord willing, we will begin January 11th with 1 Peter 1:1–2 and end September 27th with 2 Peter 3:17–18. As a joyful intermission, we will have two weeks on Psalm 11. As you take time over the next week to look at these two epistles, you will no doubt recognize the deep things of God to be discovered and examined.

First and Second Peter offer us all sorts of necessary and powerful themes. We look to issues of our new identity in Christ, and how to contend with our old self and our relation to the greater community. We look to the Lord’s provision, and how to address our internal and external needs — where is the Lord when I lack? We look to the grand theme of suffering as a spiritual discipline the Lord ordains for His people. We especially look to the purpose of the church body, relating to questions about church membership and the union of the Holy Spirit with the covenanted church. Such is the variety and generosity of God’s grace works both in the epistles and in His people for today.

I am so excited about this next year. I truly believe the Lord is going to do wonderful transformative work in the life of our church body. I cannot wait to hear from you through the year as we share together in how the Word is speaking into our lives and maturing us in Christ.

How are you preparing for this each Sunday? Are you praying for the work of God through the service, the preaching, the reviving of folks in the pews? Are you reading the texts for Sunday school and service? Are you praying for your elders and for the new guests and new attenders? Are you praying for the Spirit to direct your obedience in application to the Scripture the week following our service? Lastly, are you meditating and asking more questions of the text so to prime your heart for conversations among the membership? These are just some of the helpful ways to experience the deeper work of God’s hand among His people – He is faithful, steadfast, and true – and He has wonderful work prepared for you! Let us be prepared this New Year for His transforming work in us, First Baptist Wellsboro.

Pastor Chris