Over a year ago, SSCC embarked on a mission to offer people a way to connect more personally in small groups.  This culminated in the formation of Covenant Groups that meet monthly to discuss real life issues in the lives of Christians.  Five groups started in September of this year.  Listen to what a couple of the participants had to say about their Covenant Group experience:

"My experience with our Covenant Group has been a very nice surprise," says Kathy Elliott.  "I really did not know what to expect, but I do know that the last group I had attended in a covenant style in the evening had been a struggle for me to keep awake.  This was about ten years ago and it was more like a Bible study than a personal reflection of Christian topics that are Biblically based.  I feel and appreciate the bond that has presented itself within our group.  I particularly love that we keep on time and this time is shared equally among the group."

 Why join a Covenant Group?  Mary Shehan of the Chrysalis Group shares her experience with us.  "Chrysalis has been together for some time as a small group, so we've had a head start in bonding as a Covenant group. With that and the format/protocol of the meeting I feel very safe in expressing my most true and secret thoughts (as vulnerable as that can be).  The idea of commitment isn't just to show up at a meeting, but to participate fully and then take very specific actions and risks based on what is revealed. Our first group on Prayer made a huge difference to me in overcoming a great fear.  I'm very grateful that our church is taking this path; God is transforming our hearts through each other."

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The 49th annual Hanging of the Greens service on December 6 was once again the festive event we have come to love.  It is our traditional time of decorating the sanctuary and singing the praises of Advent.  Although it is a very familiar event for most members, each year our newest members add a very special moment when they bring forward their personal Chrismons and place them on the tree.  It is symbolic of the new life we celebrate and nourish in this congregation.

The new year is not a traditional part of the liturgical church year but what it celebrates and represents is certainly in line with much of what we hold to be true.
 
Our New Year celebrations allow us to imagine for a moment that the past is behind us and that a better future is before us.  This is the message of the gospel!  The difference is that in God's calendar any day can be a 'New Year's Day.'
 
The spiritual practice of forgiveness allows our past to be a sound teacher and frees us from being trapped in anger and negative emotional attachments.  It is a sad and well proven truth that our emotional attachments become the building materials out of which we form our future.  Emotions affect thoughts, thoughts create action/inaction, and actions shape our future.  If we harbor anger, we become combative.   When we cling to hurt, we build safe castles of detachment where no one can touch us.  When we can't let go of failure we build safe, innocuous places where we don't allow ourselves to take risks.
 
Forgiveness breaks the emotional ties and frees us to build a future based on a splendid vision of the future rather than out of the junk of the past.
 
Forgiveness is never easy because the person you HAVE to forgive NEVER deserves it.  Just remember, forgiveness doesn't let them off the hook, IT LET'S YOU OFF THE HOOK.  They don't deserve it, take that for granted, you forgive because YOU deserve it.  Why should you build your life out of the junk of someone else's sin?  Forgive.  Let it go.  Cut the emotional ties.  Build your future out of your best dreams rather than previous unfortunate experiences.
 
Once forgiveness is offered and experienced, you are free to DREAM.  What excites you?  What stirs your passion?  Where do you look and see God crying?  Where do you see God laughing?  Imagine yourself fully engaged, offering your best gifts to the world without reservation or holding back.  This is life lived for the "glory of God."  This is a life where the spirit blows freely through you and you live in the joy of being a blessing.
 
The secular world makes resolutions.  We make covenants and wrap them in prayer.
 
We live on the cusp of time and New Year's is one of those times we allow ourselves to be aware of this deep truth.