Hello, Friends!
     Some of us are old enough to remember that when "2001:  A Space Odyssey" was released, that year really did seem to be way off in the distance somewhere unfathomable.   Even Orwell's "1984," though a bit archaic, was understandable, given how far the horizon of that date in our future seemed, way back when we were young. So how does it feel to get your mind around the notion of 2008, as a present reality?   Pretty strange, pretty surreal--and yet ready or not, here we are.
     I'm not a big one for dramatic or public new year's resolutions,  but I am claiming the gift of a new year, today, as offering some  breathing space, some opportunity for renewed hope, fresh perspective, and newly energized engagement with my family and  friends, and with you, my friends in Christ in our faith community.
      Some of you know I spent this past weekend on retreat at the Crossings, where I took part in a workshop for rejuvenation of mind, body, and spirit.   As we danced, drummed, drew and colored, played and sang and meditated and listened, twenty previous strangers became, in the words of our facilitators, a "village" of like-minded  and mutually supportive human fellow travelers.   It's not likely  that our paths will cross  again, but we each and all were blessed by the experience of focused, intentional, and real though temporary community.
      A common theme woven through the participants'  closing expressions of blessing and hope was that we could carry some  of the joy, innocence, openness, and cooperative spirit into our daily lives in the new year.   
   That is my deep and persistent hope and prayer for the St. Luke community, too.   I know our workaday realities are jammed to bursting with serious, sensible, important business, and that there is much need, much lack, much wrong and sadness and imbalance in the world.
       I also know that we gain nothing and contribute even less when our spirits are oppressed and our energies impeded by fear,  resentment, worry and mistrust.    We really are loved completely by a God of complete love, and we really are infused with that love,  accompanied by it, and called up and out of self-centeredness into 
joyful, compassionate, loving consciousness.   All the beauty of this past Advent and Christmas would not have the deep, sweet resonance it does if Love were not
at the heart.
      And while taking on all the responsibilities of faithful people  who wish to keep maturing in the faith, we are called by that same  love to enjoy the journey--to laugh, play, dance, sing, create—to  celebrate Emmanuel's vital, loving presence with us on the way.
      I look forward to journeying with you this Sunday, and all our days to come.

Shalom,
Sarah