With the New Year's celebration upon us, our considerations turn to new ideas and this year the changing of the guard- as it were. During the election cycle of the last year, unity was something that was spoken of at great length. Vice President Harris was going to unite us behind her platform of ideas, while President Trump was/is going to unite the nation around the platform of ideas that was shared. With the way the election went, prognosticators all speak to the idea of unity within the nation as President Trump won by a sizeable margin in both the popular vote and the electoral college. That unity is fragile though. There are already people starting to talk about how they won't cooperate with the next administration to come in. President Trump is viewed in many different and unique ways, not all of which are unfair. The consequence of this is that unity is hopefully going to be gathered so that we, as Americans, can begin to live a better life. God willing, in the coming year we will bounce back, and we will be as prosperous as we remember once being.

Unity behind a person is fragile though. Unity behind a political idea is equally fragile. Whenever one of them fail, whether it is the idea or the person, unity is begun to be fractured. The humanity of the individual is seen, and the reality of sin becomes clear. The other challenge we sometimes face is that the idea is appealing, but the application of the idea is not. We want the idea, but we want it a different way. Preferably, it should be ours, as our idea is better. The unity provided by a person, or a political idea just doesn't really hold up to reality.

Here at Zion, we live life in Christ. This means that we have a unity that is unique. It's different from everything else that goes on in the world around us. We are joined together not by some common complaint. We aren't joined together by a shared grievance. We don't have a shared idea. Instead, we have a shared Savior. We become united, one with another, not because of the leadership, but rather because of our Lord. Jesus becomes the focal point of who we are and how we progress forward into the world around us.

United to Christ, we become more than a family, we become a single body. Families have all manner of trial and trouble that drives wedges and creates fractures and discontent. In a body, a fracture, unmended, causes grievous harm. It makes it impossible for the body to work correctly, and in worst cases, death. We are a body. We are united one to another, and together to Christ.

In December of last year, the Voter's came together, and we elected new officers and boards. The joyful reality is that with the last election almost every board is full. Each board is generally short one or two members. A very far cry from a few years ago. Every board is functioning, and frequently more than functioning. The boards are rejoicing in purpose and ministry as they work with each other. There are even boards that are intermingling ideas on how to work together. How they can join with another to do more things, reach a bigger demographic, have more impact. This is unity.

With the New Year coming we have people who have been admirably and wonderfully serving. It is a joyful thing that some members who are standing down from their tours are continuing to speak about how they will be involved. How while they are not serving in the way they have been they will still be here in worship. They will still be walking with us. This also is unity.

We also have new people who are stepping into offices. Some are old faces that have been there before, and others are faces that have been around, but are filling a new position. As I see all the new members coming to meetings through December, not being required but just coming out a desire to be out our Lord's business, we rejoice. There are new ideas and approaches. There are new goals and expectations. While this can painful, the pain is the consequence of stretching as we seek to proclaim the Gospel, growing as we do so. This also is unity.

I've been watching a blacksmith make different kinds of Damascus steel. When the steel is made correctly, there are all kinds of layers, all making a beautiful pattern. The different metals have been bonded together into a single piece. So, we are united.

Our unity is found in Jesus Christ, and Him alone. We are reminded in Galatians 2 that we are crucified with Christ, and therefore live in him. 1st Corinthians 12 reminds us that we are a single body, united in Jesus. With the New Year upon us, there are lots of things going on at Zion. We rejoice that while the challenges exist, as Malachi 3 reminds us, we are being refined by God Himself. Being refined, we rely on the Holy Spirit to continue that good work within us. We go forward into 2025 celebrating that we live life in Christ, and that we are united. We move forward in this way as a single body brought together through Jesus.

Happy New Years!

Pastor Phil