Dear Glen Mar friends,

As we prepare for the start of a new year, 2022, I’m so grateful for amazing ministry in 2021 and all the ways that we continued mission and ministry in a tumultuous year.  We are looking forward to praising God in person and online to allow for more participation, growing more disciples in individual and group settings through Bible study and a series on the gifts God has given YOU to love, bless and serve God and others, and serving our neighbors in big and small ways. As the great Archbishop Desmond Tutu has observed, “God’s dream is that you and I and all of us will realize that we are family, that we are made for togetherness, for goodness and for compassion.” I’m excited for the ways Glen Mar is going to continue to love and welcome all people in the name of Christ, to do good works as God has made us to do, and grow as followers of Jesus.

January is a great month to make a new beginning in our journey as Jesus’ disciples, in worship, in discipleship and in service.

• I’m so grateful that we will offer a small group experience for folks in a season of grief, starting Jan. 15, for 6 weeks, from 9:30-11:00 am at the church. So many have experienced loss—there is hope and you are not alone. Email
  
  ca****@gl********.org
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  to sign up.
• Our MLK Day of service will be “offsite” again this year with family friendly “take home and return” kits, collected the weekend before the event and returned the weekend after. It’s free. Service hours available. Pre-register now!
• “God.Gifts.You.” sermon series starts Jan. 16. Do you think you have to be a pastor to be “called” by God to do something? Did you know that God gives everyone gifts and passions so that we can use those gifts to make God’s kingdom real for others? It’s part of what it means to be “blessed to be a blessing.” Come learn about God’s plan for your life and mine as we start a new year!

We will continue masking requirements for all indoor activities at Glen Mar including worship, and we are so blessed to be able to live-stream worship so that we have many ways to “gather” safely to worship God and be the church for one another.  I encourage you to join us in whatever way makes sense for you and your family, but please do join us. I promise you will find it a blessing!

And… our office is technically closed this week but it’s not too late to give your end-of-year gifts. Finance will be “in the house” to handle that by week’s end. Email Bob Henry at the church if you need more info.  And, if you need pastoral care this week, don’t hesitate to email Pastor Melaina who is the pastor on call, or me, if needed.

See you in church, in person or online,

Pastor Mandy

PS I wanted to let our church family know that we will be celebrating the life of Margaret Lang’s father in our chapel on Saturday, Jan. 8 at 1 pm. Mr. Lang passed away last year. That service will also be shared on our Facebook page as well through Facebook Live. Please join us to express your love and prayers for Margaret and her family.