2024 Reflections and 2025 resolutions
Dear Church,
Happy New Year and welcome to 2025!
If you’re anything like me, your inbox is filled with a bazillion emails asking you for end-of-year donations, best-of-2024 lists, year-in-review summaries, or simple messages wishing you a happy new year.
Why do we do this? Why are we so insistent on looking back at the end of every calendar year?
On one hand there is nothing necessarily unique about the start of a new year. Today is a day like any other. You and I are the same people we were, just a day older.
On the other hand, God has designed us to stop and remember. The Lord appointed festivals for his ancient people to remember his great salvation at specific days every year (Num 9:1-2). The Lord makes it clear that these ceremonies are meant to teach the next generation of what God has done in the past (Ex 12:26-28). Samuel set up a stone monument to remember that the Lord has been their helper (1 Sam 7:12). Many psalms speak of remembering who God is and what He has done (Ps 42, 63, 77, 119, 136, 137).
We remember because we were wired to remember. It is part of how the Lord reorients us to Himself and His works when we are constantly tempted to be self-consumed with our own stuff. Unless we take time to do the good and rewarding work of prayer, reflection, and thanksgiving, our hearts can grow weary, we may forget the Lord, we might miss the important lessons He is teaching us, and our souls can grow more cynical, less grateful.
So, let’s all stop for a moment, close your eyes, and take a deep breath.
Go ahead. I’ll wait.
Remember what the Lord has done in 2024, both the good and the hard. Give him thanks for it all, even the difficult parts that were a struggle to endure. And ask him to use all those experiences to shape you into the person he wants you to be in 2025.
Let us sing with the psalmist from Psalm 19:
Lord, we have trusted in your steadfast love; our hearts shall rejoice in your salvation.
We will sing to the Lord, because you have dealt bountifully with us.
As is our tradition, the staff and elders have teamed up to share some of our reflections from this past year and “resolutions” for the new year, some serious, some silly, all in good fun and gratitude.
Enjoy! Happy New Year, New City!
Moses
Reflections
Praise God for our incredibly gracious, generous, and godly church! (Moses)
I’m thankful for the best staff and elder teams any pastor could ask for! (Moses)
I’m thankful for Moses’ faithful leadership in the midst of his own illness. (Steve)
I’m grateful for the amazing privilege of sending off our first daughter church! Also grateful for the opportunity to send off the Lodders to West Africa, Warren V.S. to South America, the Kims to Newmarket, … OK, enough sendoffs already. (Moses)
I’m thankful that the HVAC upgrade is finally completed. We started sourcing quotes in the spring of 2021! I’m sure that every staff member that has worked at New City in the last 3 years is also thankful this is complete. Right Kevin, Jeremy and Catherine??? (Steve)
Very grateful for Catherine’s willingness to jump into everything HVAC related and be the New City point person dealing with contractors on a day to day basis. (Steve)
I’m very encouraged about the relaunch of New City Arts and excited about how the Lord will use it in the years to come. (Moses)
I’m thankful for the opportunities we have had to pray together, think together, and work together as a church as we review and renew our vision. (Moses)
I’m encouraged by all the thoughtful feedback, and the level of engagement with our visioning process from members and ministry leaders (Steve)
I’m encouraged by the first two monthly Prayer & Praise gatherings; so well-attended and invigorating! (Moses) Agree! (Steve)
Thankful for Michaella K, Dylan H, and Josiah L for a fresh, new, friendly website, and for Shelly S for beautiful photos! (Moses)
Community Soup Fest and the many new neighbors we met. (Moses)
Thankful that God continues to provide effective leadership of teams. (Hank)
Thankful for all the different foster and adoptive kids in our church … and how our church desires to serve them well! (Hank)
Thankful for Sojourn Community Church. (Hank)
I am so thankful to have been able to coordinate Scuba this past summer! It was such a blessing to have fun together, learn more about Jesus and His word and worship God during that week. (Catherine)
Thankful for my bros on the elder team. (Hank)
I praise God that He has provided an incredible team of volunteers for New City Kids! (Catherine)
Thankful for Moses’ healing (Hank).
Thankful for Andrew Penie’s passion for prayer and his leadership of prayer ministry (Hank).
Thankful for Sunday morning prayer and singing before service (Hank).
I’m grateful that we could gather for worship together every Sunday again for another year, and I resolve never to take it for granted. (Allan)
I’m thankful for those that have been willing to step into some of the super-sized shoes left behind by those who departed for Sojourn and other new adventures. (Allan)
I’m encouraged by our newly re-energized Finance Team and for the plans to continue to serve God faithfully through our financial stewardship as a church. (Allan)
Thankful for when small group attendees bring chips for snack. (Hank)
I praise God for our new hospitality initiatives like the soupfest and Christmas Eve potluck to help us connect with and love our church neighbourhood well. (Allan).
Sending off Sojourn Community Church and watching them grow and flourish. (Allan)
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service (Moses)
Christmas Eve Dinner (Moses)!
I’m thankful for the Young Adult group! For Peter and Joy in their leadership and the great group we have. Family night is on Saturdays. (Josiah)
I’m grateful for our amazing youth leadership team (Josiah):
Jeremy Kruizinga is our shrewd and seasoned captain. There isn’t a storm he hasn’t been through, and there isn’t a port he hasn’t successfully docked at. With a wise eye to the horizon and an experienced hand on the rudder, his consistent demeanor guides the ship to calmer waters.
The Blackwells. We would be privileged to have just one. I feel selfish that we have both.
Caleb: The triple threat: Fun, faith, and finances. Usually, we get two out of the three.
Hayley: Our bastion of law and order. Hayley makes sure the youth group retains an element of decorum.
Anna: Wise beyond her years. Anna is in healthcare as a profession. She’s in soul-care because it’s her passion. Thankfully she doesn’t have to triage youth group mishaps (regularly).
Sjanie: Robert California famously once said: “The fallacy is that it is up to the steamroller. It is up to the object, whether it will be flattened or not.” Sjanie will not be flattened by the steamroller that is the youth group. What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? Come out to 28 Rebecca Street on Fridays at 7 PM to find out. Sjanie is calm, steady and unfazed.
Jeremy Petrusma//Tim Bos//Rhys Mckendry: Our three Musketeers. I’m not saying they’re the same person, I just haven’t seen them at youth group at the same time.
Em Ling: I’m convinced in another life she could’ve been a steer wrangler. Don’t ask me why, but I’ve seen things on Friday nights.
I’ve enjoyed the initiative and energy the youth group committee has shown. They show great future promise for a lifetime of involvement in the local church. (Josiah)
I was encouraged by the turnout for the biking fundraiser–despite the rain. (Varun)
Thankful for the installation of Moses as Senior Pastor (Varun)
Resolutions
Eat healthy, work out, and get buff! (Moses) - Same. (Josiah)
Put on a few pounds to fit into the Santa costume better next year. (Allan)
Roll out our renewed vision for 2025 and beyond! (Moses)
Keep growing in our renewed commitment to corporate prayer. (Moses)
Welcome “A” to Hamilton. (Moses)
A working elevator. (Moses)
Rooftop garden! (Moses) Accessed by a working Elevator! (Steve) with Chick-fil-A in the lobby (Varun)
Convince the rest of the elders to grow a mustache (Steve)
Amend church constitution to prohibit moustaches. (Allan)
Keep growing in effective evangelism, personally and corporately (Steve)
Wear another ridiculous costume to advertise for Kids Camp! (Catherine)
Prayerfully work to connect more deeply with families in our community (Catherine)
Looking forward to the Epic/Onside camps! (Josiah)
I'm excited that the youth group retreat is expanding! (Josiah)
Eat more chips (Hank).
Connect well with each of the intermission group leaders (Josiah)
Grow into the exciting vision that God has for us (Hank)
See more people attend Sunday morning prayer time (Hank).
Begin to see Gospel-centred revival in the Hammer! (Hank)
See the on-going growth and impact of Praise and Prayer evenings. (Hank)
Join the praise team as “whistler.” Hank
Grow in love, care and wonder for the different cultures and experiences of new church members. (Allan)
Wait for Jesus! (Allan).
Attend pre-service prayer more regularly (and with pious, quiet children) (Varun)
Organize Staff/elders games night and beat Catherine in Laser Tag (Varun)
Develop alliances with all elders, except for Varun, and demolish him in laser tag (Catherine)
