Looking Ahead

Today is the day I am normally hunkered down in my study working on writing a sermon, but I don't need to because the sermon is being covered this week by Rev. Freda Brown, Executive Director of St. Vincent's House here in Galveston, TX, So, I am using the time to think ahead.  There are lots of options for filling up this brain space today--Advent, Christmas, finishing our rebuild from our sanctuary fire (we're getting close!!).  Those are all fun and interesting, but today I am getting excited about 2017.  What will the new season be like for Westminster Presbyterian Church, Galveston?  We'll be in a new sanctuary.  We're working on a new website.  What will we be ready to do in the New Year?  What has God got in store for us?

I'm working on a new series that we'll begin on January 1 - 150 Days in the Psalms.  We'll have a daily reading plan.  On Saturday nights in our contemporary service we'll discuss the psalm for that Saturday. On Sunday mornings in our traditional service we'll talk about the psalm for that Sunday.  We'll get together for Bible study on Sunday nights twice a month to talk about some of the more difficult psalms.  I'll post about it here and on Facebook.

Is it too soon to think about next year when it's only October?  I'll confess that thinking about 2017 takes me out of concerns about what Hurricane Matthew is doing in the Caribbean and along the east coast today, and past the concerns about getting our building finished and ready for the holidays. There are so many things  I could be worrying about, but admittedly I can't do much about most of them.  I'm working on trusting God for the things I can't affect, and being thankful for the opportunities and ideas and people and places that are part of today and tomorrow and next year.

I'm not preaching about the story from Luke that's our text for this Sunday (Luke 17:11-19), but I am thinking about that one leper who turned back to say thanks to Jesus for the healing.  What do we learn from him?  When have I forgotten to say thanks to God for taking care of me?  I'm sure I have often prayed for help and healing and then failed to notice that the issue was resolved, and if I failed to notice, then I surely didn't say thank you.

The other nine lepers ran on ahead into their newly healed lives without saying thank you.  As I look ahead, I'm hoping I'll keep my eyes open along the way through all the coming seasons and events and notice what God is doing and remember to say thanks.

What are you looking forward to?
What are you saying thanks for?