Another Advent is past and we find ourselves in the midst of Christmas on the brink of a New Year. Advent and Christmas are such busy seasons that our natural tendency is to take a deep breath and relax. If we are not careful, we miss the point that we have celebrated the in-breaking of God’s kingdom and entered into a world being transformed. We have waited for the Christ; the non-believing world waits to see Christ in us. The New Year provides us with a new act in which we are called to portray ourselves as the light and leaven Christ calls us to be.
            After some extended conversation with the Cabinet and on Wednesday nights, we are hoping that 2008 will be a future-oriented year for Seventh & James. Let us begin a year of serious prayer, scripture study and contemplation as to what God wants us to be and do. Rather than talking about the past, we want to talk first with God and then with one another about what ministry God wants us to do, and how is the best and most effective way for us to do it now and in the future.
            Beginning the first Sunday in January, I plan to focus my preaching for the year on the Church, Christian Discipleship and being Christian in the world. On Wednesday nights we will draw on our church and community resources to develop related themes. Dr. Lai Ling Ngan will speak on January 9th on  interpreting biblical truth in a modern context. Dr. Joel Burnett has agreed to address community in the Old Testament on January 23rd.  Dr. Naymond Keathley will address community in the New Testament for two sessions.
            We are very fortunate to have Dr. Nancy Ammerman to deliver the Leuschner Lectures September 20-21. Dr. Ammerman is a leading authority on American congregations and religious trends. Her latest book is Pillars of Faith: American Congregations and Their Partners. She currently serves as Professor of Sociology of Religion in the School of Theology at Boston University.
            After a period of prayer and study, a series of church conversations will be scheduled to provide forums for sharing insights.

Year of Discovery Plan 2008

1. Pastor’s sermons will focus on Christian discipleship, Christian community and ministry throughout 2008.
2. Every member is asked to commit to a year of prayer and Bible study to discover God’s will for each member’s life and of Seventh & James Baptist Church.  Each member is asked to pray and study scripture daily.  Beginning the week following Easter the church will be asked to read the Book of Acts.  Sermons
   will be based on this model of the church in action.
3. Throughout the year, special presentations will be presented on Wednesday nights to enrich our prayer life and study of scripture.  Later presentations will focus on the church in the modern world.
4. It is hoped that we can involve every member of the church in this project with
   its exciting possibilities.  The deacons will seek to reach and involve the inactive members of our spiritual family.  When a series of open forums are scheduled in the fall we pray for extensive participation.
5. September 20-21, 2008, Dr. Nancy Ammerman will present the Leuschner Lectures.  Dr. Ammerman is Professor of Sociology of Religion at Boston University and the leading authority on current trends in American religion.  Her most recent book is Pillars of Faith: American Congregations and Their Partners.  She edited and contributed to Studying Congregations: A New Handbook published in 1998. 
6. The Leuschner Lectures will be followed by a  series of public forums when we will share the results of our Year of Discovery and move to consensus about
   how we can best serve God in the years that lie ahead.  We will deal with practical issues as they are required by our spiritual journey together.