Traditionally, January 6 is called Epiphany, and it follows the 12 days of Christmas. The Day of Epiphany celebrates the wise men bringing gifts to the Christ child.
In the liturgical calendar, January 7 through March 4, 2025 is the season after Epiphany. The word Epiphany comes from the Greek, “epiphaneia,” and means appearance, showing forth, or manifestation. The liturgical color for the season after Epiphany is green, the color of growth. With the new year dawning as well as Epiphany’s call for growth seems a fit topic for folks like you and me.
This epigram explains life for me. The cycles of the epigram are as follows:
Healthy things grow.
Growing things change.
Changing things challenges us.
Challenge forces us to trust God.
Trust leads to faithfulness.
Faithfulness makes us healthy.
Healthy things grow.
The idea that “healthy things grow” is what lies behind our hope for this church in the days that are ahead. Healthy things grow.
How can we be healthy and grow? Like the wise men bringing three gifts, let me suggest you try these three things:
- Start this new year by making a commitment to Sunday worship.
- Volunteer in one of our many Social Justice Ministries
- Attend a Life Long Learning class.
In whatever ways you share, may God bless you. Shalom, Paul