Christ is risen!  He has provided us with a fresh start, and I cannot think of a better gift.  Easter has always been my favorite time of the year.  It usually falls around the start of spring when the world around us becomes alive again.  The tree leaves return, the grass turns green, and the flowers grow.  Animals come out of hibernation, babies are born, and the sun starts to shine a little more.  It is a season of fresh starts that God scheduled to happen a long time ago.

 

In January we celebrate the start of a new year by making resolutions.  These resolutions are a promise we make to ourselves to improve.  Who among us has followed thtough with rthese resolutions?  By this time of the year, I have long forgotten my resolutions, but God has never forgotten the promise He made to us.  That promise came at Easter.  God promised us that no matter how we mess up, He is going to forgive us.  All we have to do is confess our sins and accept Jesus in our heart.  The love God has for us is so strong.  He was willing to sacrifice His one and only Son so we can have forgiveness and a fresh start.

 

It makes me think about what I am doing with all the fresh starts God has provided.  I always told my son when he was little that saying sorry did not have as much meaning if the mistake he made was repeated.  God continually forgives and provides a fresh start, but it is our responsibility to take the next steps.  What are you doing with your fresh starts?  There is so much we can be doing to help God's world be a better place.  Jesus spent his time on this Easrth showing us how to do this.  Love one another as He has loved you.  Be kind to people and take care of the Earth.  God has made us caretakers of the world we live in and everything in it.  So, I challenge you to take one of your fresh starts and do something to better God's Earth.  Make it a better place for all of us.

 

Blessings,

 

Heather Stone, Consistory President

 

A MESSAGE

FROM THE PRESIDENT

OF ST. MARK'S

CONSISTORY

 

MAY

2026

"No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey,

you are always welcome here."

 

BLUE CHRISTMAS

Blue Christmas, also referred to as "The Longest Night," is a day in the Advent season when Christian denominations hold a quiet and contemplative worship service as an alternative to the the more traditional holiday gatherings.  For those experiencing grief and struggling with loss, the service is a recognition of the stress, sadness and loneliness experienced by those who have loss loved ones -- family and/or friends.

The service is traditionally held on or around the longest night of the year, falling on or around December 21st, the Winter Solstice.  Opportunities for expression of grief, pain, and heartbreak are often included in the worship service as well as the opportunity to focus on the promise of hope found in Christ during the Christmas season.

Amid many of their Christmas services, many United Church of Christ congregations are honoring those mourning the loss of a loved one.

"Advent, Christmas and the New Year create opportunities for us to minister to people's spiritual, emotional, and mental well-being," said reverend Sarah Lund, U.C.C. Minister for Disabilities and mental Health Justice in December 2022.  "It's a time of the yeare where we are vulnerable to additional stress, anxieties, feeling overwhelmed, loneliness and feelings of sadness.  We may turn to coping mechanisms that are harmful to us and others.  Some people are triggered this time of year as they navigate personal histories of trauma and unresolved grief.  It's a season that calls forth the faithful witness of the church to share  messages of hope and love for people experiencing mental health challenges and their loved ones."

While congregations are preparing for the upcoming Christmas season, many are also mindful of pain in their communities and are making space in their spiritual practices for those who may be struggling.  One of the ways that UCC churches support grieving members is through the Blue Christmas Service.

"UCC Congregations are providing meaningful worship and connection by offering Blue Christmas gatherings, a time of authentic worship during Advent and Christmas that acknowledges the complex feelings this time of years brings," Lund said.  "At a Blue Christmas Service, it is OK to not be OK.  It is OK to not feel happy, jolly, or bright.  It's OK if it is not the most wonderful time of the year."

Here at St. Mark's the opportunity exists for those experiencing grief and struggling with loss.  St. Mark's worship service usually draws small, inimate groups of those mourning the loss of a loved one.