Happy New Year from Swedlanda!
The weather has been exceedingly cold in Palmyra Township and only now do we see the promise of warmer days in the week to come. It will be a welcome relief.
On Sunday, the congregation celebrated the Baptism of Our Lord and the First Sunday after the Epiphany. The season of Epiphany began on January 6th, with the first sign revealing the presence of the Messiah: the star which led the wise men to Bethlehem. The baptism was the second sign of the season, reminding us of our own baptisms, which unite us with Jesus Christ.
During the worship service, there was a commissioning and laying-on of hands for Jim and Eileen R., who left for a Journey to South Africa on Monday. They are traveling with a group of 20 from our Conference to visit our partners in Vryheid Circuit. Here is their itinerary:
Jan 11 Flight from Minneapolis to Amsterdam to Cape Town
Jan 12 Cape Town
Jan 13 Tour Western Cape
Jan 14 Township Tour and flight to Durban
Jan 14-21 Home stay in Vryheid
Jan 22 Hilltop Game Reserve
Jan 23-24 Durban
Jan 25 Flight from Durban to Johannesburg
Jan 26 Flight from Johannesburg to Amsterdam to Minneapolis
We invite your prayer during their travel. The visit is intended to build relationships with our partners. This past year, our Conference hosted two members from Vryheid, Dean Scottie and Moses.
It
was time for all of the Christmas decorations to come down, so several members assisted with that task after Sunday worship. Then we had a delicious potluck meal before the 135th Annual Meeting of the Congregation.
Elections were held for Council members and those serving on the Nominating and Auditing Committees. Our new Council members are Wendy W., David J., and Karl L. We are blessed with many who are willing to share their talents with the congregation and we thank those who have now completed their term of service on the Council, Jill B., Keri A., and Eileen R.
Have a blessed week,
Pastor Stewart
