2023 Theme: A Year of Grace and Gratitude
January Theme: Grace
John 1:16 "From his fullness, we have all received grace upon grace."
We begin this year with monthly affirmations. January’s affirmation is: “Grace and gratitude lead me to a deeper awareness of God.”
No matter the possibilities or uncertainties we encounter in each month of 2023, we will have opportunities to acknowledge the grace in our lives and to hold an attitude of gratitude in any circumstance. Grace is God’s love in action, and there is nothing we can do to make God love us any more or any less than God loves us right now in this moment. Grace is unearned and unexpected, and also saves us from having to experience some of the negative results of the causes we set into motion.
Once we notice and accept the flow of grace, then gratitude follows easily. Gratitude then increases our blessings and abundance, and we experience even more grace, and on it goes. As we gently relax into the flow, it will continue on in wondrous ways.
January is always an important month to focus on a vision of the New Year and of the future in general. Let us hold a vision of grace and gratitude for our own lives personally, and for our country and our world. What a difference that could make in so many places and in so many ways!
Our White Stone Ceremony will take place during our meditation in this week’s Sunday Service. The “white stone” is a stone quarried in the hills of Jerusalem. We will have one available to you for this Service. During meditation, we will receive a “new name or word” for 2023 as part of our vision going forward. Even if you think about a possible word in advance, you may still find yourself surprised with the one that comes to you in the moment. We write the word on our stone and put it in a special place to help inform this new year.
I am holding a vision that we all invoke both grace and gratitude in addition to our more personal word. That can certainly add to the power of an amazing year ahead!
Love & blessings,
Rev. Kathy
