“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in your will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 1:3-6

As I look back and reflect upon the year just ended, these words from Philippians are still ringing in my ears as the choir sang this anthem last Sunday morning. I have always loved this scripture passage because it never fails to encourage me as I seek to be faithful as your pastor here at Pilgrim Covenant Church.

These verses encourage me in two ways: First of all, they make me realize that I am not working alone, but that you all are partners with me in this good news mission we share in Christ. Secondly, I am reminded yet once again of God’s steadfast, ongoing faithfulness in our lives to help us grow spiritually to become more and more like Jesus. It is God’s work in us that is absolutely necessary if we are to be the people we are called to be and do the work we are called to do in Christ’s name.

One of the highlights of that work God has been doing in our midst in 2011 would have to be the “God Is Alive!” book project that our congregation undertook with Karen Stanhope’s inspiration and leadership. What a wonderful movement of the Holy Spirit occurred as we had opportunity to recall the many ways God has been alive and met us in very real and tangible ways in our lives.

I continue to hear of evidence of the Spirit at work as readers of the book relate their positive and heartfelt response to this collection of sacred stories in the life of this church. Indeed, God is always up to something!

Another highlight from the past year is the fact that our church had the opportunity and privilege to be a part of not one, not two, but three mission trips. Two from the youth ministry … the Hartford Project and the Puerto Rico missions trip. The third was the medical mission trip to Honduras which a number of our adults and youth were able to join. Wow! What powerful experiences and opportunities these are for our humble congregation. God is at work in us and through us … and seeks to reach out to our world through the power of the good news of the love of Christ.

What is going to happen this year? Let’s together be prayerfully open to God’s Spirit as we begin to discern once again who the Lord is calling us to be, and what the Lord is calling us to do for Christ’s kingdom … one step at a time.

- Pastor Dennis Anderson