“Matthew loved the magi. He gave their story more square inches of text than he gave the narrative of the birth of Jesus. He never mentions the shepherds or the manger, but he didn’t want us to miss the star and the seekers. It’s easy to see why. Their story is our story. “

  Max Lucado

Take a leap of faith and begin this wondrous new year by believing.

                                                                                    Sarah Ban Breathnach

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.

                                                                                      Ralph Waldo Emerson

Upon this moment, upon this people,
upon this place, the holy comes.
And sacred knowing brings sacred being for sacred doing of God’s plan.                -Michelle Currie

The Community Gathers:  Experience God’s presence in the assembly. Please greet one another with joy and welcome new friends into our community of love.

Doxology:  Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise God all creatures here below. Praise God above ye heavenly hosts, Cre-ator, Christ and Holy Ghost.  Amen.

The Community Gathers:  Experience God’s presence in the assembly. Please greet one another with joy and welcome new friends into our community of love.

Focus: I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.
G.K. Chesterton

Focus: “We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our
exploring will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the
first time.”   
                                                           T. S. Elliot

Focus: “Silently, one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven,
Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels.”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie

Focus: “Our children are our greatest treasure. There can be no keen-er revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its chil-dren.”
— Nelson Mandela, Former President of South Africa

Focus: “None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.”

– Mother Teresa

Focus:  The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.                                 – Helen Keller

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”                Matthew 5:4

Focus: Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things break. And all things can be mended. Not with time, as they say, but with intention. So go. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you. L.R. Knost

Focus: Heavenly Rays, As summer into autumn slips,
O give me grace today, To rise and turn as summer’s leaves
Draw life and strength from heavenly rays.                       Emily Dickinson

Focus: A smile starts on the lips, a grin spreads to the eyes, a chuckle comes from the belly; but a good laugh bursts forth from the soul,
overflows, and bubbles all around.       
Carolyn Birmingham

Focus: “Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see.”                                                                                  Hebrews 11:1

“Musicians must make music, artists must paint, poets must write if they are ultimately to be at peace with themselves. What humans can be, they must be.” ―Abraham Maslow

“True hospitality is marked by an open response to the dignity of each and every person.”                                          – Kathleen Norris

Focus:  “Teach your children what we have taught our children: that the earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth, befalls the children of the earth.  This we know. The earth does not belong to us; we belong to the earth. Our God is the god of all people. And compassion is equal for all. this earth is precious to God, and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on the creator. So love it as we have loved it. care for it as we have cared for it. and with all your mind, with all your heart, preserve it for our children and love as God loves us all.”               ― Chief Seattle

“Bless the world with your mind, heal the world with your heart, lift the world with your soul; elevate the world with your life.” Matshona Dhliwayo