“Held in His Faithfulness,
Renewed by His Grace”
“And He who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’” Revelation 21:5 (ESV)
To all the saints at St. Paul’s:
Grace to you each of you in the name of our Risen Savior, Jesus!
A very blessed New Year to you all! As we turn the page into 2026, I pray your hearts are filled with gratitude for the Lord’s faithfulness through the past year, and with hope for all that He will do in the year ahead.
The start of a new year reminds us that God is always at work renewing His creation—and renewing us. Even as the world changes and time moves forward, our Lord’s promises never fade because His Word does not change, as the prophet Isaiah writes: “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8). Praise be to God! Yet our Lord continues to make all things new through the power of His Word and Spirit, bringing life and forgiveness to His people day by day.
The months in the new year will fly by as they usually do and before we know it, we’ll be in February entering the season of Lent. It will be a time of reflection and meditation…a time to slow down, to pray, and to turn toward Calvary’s Cross. Lent will call us to remember our need for a Savior, but the season’s Word will also reveal the depth of God’s mercy shown to us in Christ. Through His suffering and death and our sins gathered up by Jesus, we have been made new—washed clean in baptism and restored to life with Him.
Lent can be an appropriate time for us to remember our baptism and to give thanks for the sacrament which brought us to faith and into God’s kingdom of grace. How many of us know our baptismal birthdays? If not, perhaps St. Paul’s has records of that miraculous blessing. Regardless, we can all have joy in our hearts for the gift of baptism and the grace poured out upon us. As St. Paul writes: “When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:4-6).
As February gives way to March and winter slowly fades into spring, our journey of faith will lead us to Easter morning—the glorious reminder that our Savior lives! The Resurrection is that moment in time where we embrace the living promise that because Christ lives, we too shall live. As Jesus Himself declares: “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19). That promise from our Lord carries us through every season of life, especially as time moves on and we wait for the day when all things will truly be made new in His kingdom.
Dear friends, may these months of the New Year be a time of peace and renewal for you. Whatever joys or challenges the days may bring, we rest in the faithful hands of our Lord Jesus, who never leaves us and who makes all things new because He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5) and again “Be strong and courageous…it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
I am so grateful to God for bringing us together to share in the partnership of His Gospel. May each of you receive the joy and peace of Christ in abundance and God bless you all in the name of Jesus!
Pastor Klein
A Prayer for the New Year
Gracious Lord, You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. As we step into this New Year, renew our hearts with Your grace and fill us with the hope of Your promises. Keep us steadfast in faith and joyful in the assurance of life in Christ, our risen Savior. Amen.