A Year of Fits and Starts . . .

THE REV. JOSEPH WOLYNIAK

Wordsplayed, one of my favorite rappers, has a song that perfectly encapsulated the challenges of 2020: “They said 2019 was a wild year…. then 2020 said: ‘Ay, hold my beer.’ ”

The same could be said of 2021. While not quite as wearisome as 2020, this past year evinced some of the same lingering challenges and setbacks––not least the nagging coronavirus pandemic that just wouldn’t go away. Yet, through it all, God has proven faithful––“fully satisfying every need of [ours] according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:9)––and the church has not only endured but flourished.

A personal highlight for me was Fr Terry baptizing my son, Damien, alongside all of the baptisms we were able to celebrate this year––a joyous return to welcoming new souls into God’s adoptive family. Despite all the challenges we’ve faced, how incredible to witness God continually call new members into our growing church family.

Towards the end of the year, no one foresaw the startling news of JoEllen McGugan’s lymphoma diagnosis, necessitating Fr Terry’s sudden tact to remote working. Once again, though, the lay leaders and staff of Christ Church proved to be adaptive, resilient, prayerful, and mutually supportive as we quickly made alternative plans for the remainder of the year and the start of 2022. It is a joy to serve in such a prayerful and centered faith community, watching this parish rally again and again through adversity with joy and gospel hope.

This has been a year of fits and starts, but Deuteronomy 7:9 keeps coming to mind: “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who maintains covenant loyalty with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.” That has certainly proven true at Christ Church this year.