“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”

Psalm 107:8-9

Dear HBIC Family,

I remember last January, although it seems like forever ago. January 2020 was life before Covid-19 as we now know it. It was before we had so many hurricanes that for only the second time ever, the official alphabetical list of hurricane names was all used up. There were wildfires, rains that led to flooding, tornadoes and even major earthquakes worldwide. January 2020 was before we knew the names of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Ahmaud Arbery. I would say it was before Election season, but that one never seems to end!

It is overwhelming to try to remember all that happened this past year. We find this especially challenging because as December ends and we spring forward into the New Year we tend to be reflective. We like to make note of our highs and lows, triumphs and missteps and the goals we did or didn’t meet over the course of the year. Nevertheless, in 2020 (as in every year before), I have learned and keep learning that it is good to remember what God carried you through and how He blessed and sustained you.

 I also appreciate how we have begun to pray in the new year as a church community. We join with our sisters and brothers in the Brethren in Christ denomination as a whole to commit to a Week of Prayer and Fasting. During this week, we pray, reflect and seek God to start the new year. This January, we have been asked to trust in God even when things do not go as planned. I think this is quite fitting for the year we all have just been through. The denomination has provided daily devotionals that help to guide us as we pray together during the week. They can be found online here: https://bicus.org/resources/prayer/week-prayer-fasting/

As we begin 2021 here at HBIC, we dedicate this Sunday’s service to praying together as one Body. Our service will be on Zoom again and it will be very similar to last week’s service. However, instead of allotting time for testimonies, we will be engaging in prayer together through silence, a variety of prayer exercises and even an invitation to pray in smaller groups. During the BIC Week of Prayer and Fasting, we pray daily together but we are also apart from one other. On Sunday, we have a blessed opportunity to pray together with each other – it’s going to be great!

To prepare for this week’s service, I would like to invite you all back to Psalm 107. Please spend some more time over the next few days intentionally meditating on verses 1-9. To help you reflect, I would like to ask you to focus on the following questions:

 What is one thing from 2020 that you are giving thanks to God for today?

How has God made his unfailing love known to you?

How can God use you to make his unfailing love known to people in your life?

What thirst do you know or hunger do you experience that you can invite God to satisfy?

 God loves us. God is love. Jesus loves us. Jesus is God’s love language to us. The Holy Spirit loves us. The Holy Spirit loves by drawing us to God and transforming us into Christlikeness. As much as we know and keep learning about God’s love, this week I find myself simply amazed by the thought of God’s unfailing love. I love how the Scripture writers, especially Psalmists, freely call us to sing of this.

Sisters and brothers, God’s love is unfailing. God’s love is available. God’s love works all things together for our good. God’s love is here, forever and always.

I look forward to worshipping with you all this week and praying with each other in this Sunday’s service. I look forward to praying individually as we join in with the rest of our Brethren in Christ family through the Week of Prayer and Fasting. I look forward to 2021, where our God’s unfailing love will continue to carry us through and empower us to shine for the glory of our King Jesus!

God bless you all, and take care.

Love in Christ,

Pastor Hank
(Psalm 107:7-9)
P: (717) 561-2170, ext. 104
E: pastorhank@harrisburgbic.org

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