HAPPY NEW YEAR
to you- members and friends of Trinity Lutheran Church!
Three years ago, after Christmas, we (Jon, myself, Catie and our “son” Michael) spent a few days in the Black Hills. We stayed at the home of friends who live out of town in the beautiful Black Hills between Rapid City and Pactola Lake. Michael came to live with us in the fall of 2019. At that time we lived in Gothenburg, Nebraska. Michael grew up in Ammon, Jordan. The population there is 4 million. Hence, it is VERY difficult to see the stars due to light pollution. Gothenburg is a small town, but we lived in town and had a good share of light pollution as well. I remember on the night of our arrival in the Hills. Clear as a bell…..no yard lights no “clutter” of any type of light. Michael was in AWE of this natural phenomena…he just stood there in the pasture lane looking up and taking it all in—for quite a while (he came in when his toes got cold!). It really was a beautiful thing. It is/was imprinted on his mind; mentioning it often when we visit.
With Michael, I am in AWE of the natural light of the stars that surround us above—whether it is in town, on the farm, or in the Black Hills I am awed and have a sense of peace when I see this light shining in and through the darkness. Indeed as the hymn by Danish hymn-writer Nilolai Grundtvig “Bright and Glorious Is the Sky” states there is radiance, hope and promise in the stars.
We have walked through an Advent, that felt rushed and Christmas, with its joys and clutter, not to mention prior to these seasons, a tumultuous presidential campaign and election. At times, there just seemed to be darkness everywhere. But, no….there is a powerful light that has broken through the darkness and throughout the Scripture “light” brings peace, promise and power over death. Indeed the light, Christ the light, is the way, the truth and the life. As we enter into the liturgical calendar season of Epiphany and enter a New Year of 2025, may you take time out to look upward to the skies and be AWED by the stars above. May you be led deeper into a relationship with God through WORSHIP, PRAYER, SCRIPTURE AND SERVICE.
May God Bless you as we continue our journey as faithful people of God.
Bright and Glorious Is the Sky
1 Bright and glorious is the sky,
radiant are the heavens high
where the golden stars are shining.
All their rays to earth inclining
beckon us to heav'n above,
beckon us to heav'n above.
5 Guided by the star, they found
him whose praise the ages sound.
We too have a star to guide us,
which forever will provide us
with the light to find our Lord,
with the light to find our Lord.
6 And this star, as bright as day, that will never lead astray with its message so appealing, is the word of God, revealing Christ, the way, the truth, the life,
Christ, the way, the truth, the life.
Text: Nikolai F. S. Grundtvig, 1783-1872; tr. Jens Christian Aaberg, 1877-1970, alt.
Text © 1958 Service Book and Hymnal, admin. Augsburg Fortress.
PASTOR CAROL MAPA
