White for Harvest (January 2025 at First OPC)
It is customary at this time of year to reflect a little on the year past, and to gather our thoughts for the year ahead. This kind of reflection is a natural part of life, and it fits well with the biblical instruction to examine ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5, Galatians 6:4). God calls us a thoughtful way of life in which we take time to consider things like the ant (Proverbs 6:6), the example of Christ (Hebrews 12:3), and our progress towards heaven (Philippians 3:13).
Reflection is also part of church life, especially in January as we prepare for our annual meeting (scheduled this year for January 29th at 7:00pm).
The year past
Trials
Many in our congregation went through serious afflictions this year. There were several major health crises, including several people in cancer treatment. Several of us have been looking for work at various times. Also, quite a number of members, family, and friends died this year.
These trials have been sweetened by genuine Christian fellowship. We have prayed for each other, cooked for each other, and helped each other. Certainly many have been doing these things for me and my family. In this way, our difficulties have become joyful testimonies to the "tested genuineness" of our faith (1 Peter 1:6-7).
Growth
This has also been a year of growth. We have been meeting many visitors, and working to receive many of them into church membership, which has kept us very busy this year. Thankfully, the session also grew this year with the ordination of Jacob Hernandez as an elder.
There have also been happy indicators of spiritual growth. We have new ministries to children and youth, men, and young adults, plus a new Chinese Bible study fellowship. In all of these new ministries, there have been signs of growing friendships and a deepening knowledge of God.
The year ahead
Jesus told his disciples to lift up their eyes and see that the fields were white for harvest (John 4:35). As we lift up our eyes to the new year, we see an abundance of ministry opportunities. Some are familiar: another Vacation Bible School in the summer, and another Silicon Valley Bible Conference in the fall. We are also looking for another pastoral intern. There are also new opportunities that will require much prayer.
Shepherding Groups
To meet the needs of our growing congregation, the session has organized the congregation into shepherding groups. Our goal is to provide adequate pastoral care to everyone in our growing congregation, since we will one day give an account to the Lord for our ministry (Hebrews 13:17).
Recruiting Volunteers
We are also working to recruit more volunteers to share in various aspects of our ministry. Right now, there are many jobs that depend on just a few people. We want to see more of our members serving in some way or another, so that together we can use our gifts to God's glory.
With more members sharing more of the ministry work, we hope also to be ready for new opportunities to advance God's kingdom. We feel a bit like Paul at the end of 1 Corinthians, "A wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries." The year 2025 is a great time to be serving the risen Lord Jesus Christ!
In all of this, our great desire is to see everyone in our church growing in Christian maturity and faithful service. According to Ephesians 4:15-16, this is the main purpose of Christian ministry:
We are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.