As we look toward 2026, I find myself reflecting on a simple but important question: Who are we, and what is God calling us to become?
We know why we exist. We are here to proclaim Jesus Christ — to love God, to love our neighbor, and to make disciples.
That mission has not changed. But how we live it out must always be intentional.
In the coming year, we are not standing still. We will reconnect with members who have drifted away. We will deepen relationships with the families of our preschool. We will continue to host Community Forums to serve Chapin. We will strengthen the way we communicate so that our message is clear and welcoming.
All of that is about witness.
But before we talk about where we are going, we must acknowledge something about who we already are.
Many of you have been part of this church for decades. You taught Sunday School. You sang in the choir. You served on council. You gave faithfully, even in years when it wasn’t easy. You prayed this church through difficult seasons.
You are the pillars of this congregation.
Because of your steady faith, this church is stable. Because of your consistency, this church has credibility. Because of your generosity, this church has been able to continue its ministry year after year.
Younger families notice that.
They are not simply looking for programs. They are looking for something real. They are looking for a place where faith has endured.
They are looking for people whose lives reflect a long obedience to Christ.
Your presence is witness. Your faithfulness is witness. Your commitment is witness.
Now, as a church family, we have a very specific opportunity in front of us. Palm Sunday will be Witness Sunday at Mt. Horeb. We are asking each of you to do one courageous thing.
Identify one person.
Maybe it’s a friend. Maybe a neighbor. Maybe a family member. Maybe someone who once worshiped here and hasn’t been back in a while.
Write their name down. Pray for them every day. And then personally invite them to worship with you on Palm Sunday. Offer to meet them at the door. Sit with them. Introduce them to others.
Parents and friends of our preschool families will receive invitations. But the most powerful invitation will not come from a mailing or a website. It will come from you.
Imagine what it would look like if every one of us invited just one person. Imagine this sanctuary filled — not by accident, but because we chose to witness intentionally.
That is how the church grows — one relationship at a time.
And when that invitation is accepted — when someone walks through those doors because you personally asked them — we want them to encounter more than a moment. We want them to experience a ministry that is strong, stable, and ready to receive them with warmth and purpose.
That kind of strength does not happen by accident. It is built over time. And it is sustained through faithful stewardship.
This is why we are embracing Stewardship for All Seasons — not as a campaign, but as a way of life. Stewardship for All Seasons reminds us that generosity is not occasional.
Stewardship is faithful. Stewardship is consistent. Stewardship is discipleship lived out over time.
Stewardship is not about meeting a budget. It is about sustaining a mission. We stand here today because others gave before us. They prayed. They served. They sacrificed. They believed this church mattered. And because they did — we are here.
Now it is our turn. Stewardship ensures that this church remains strong — not just for us, but for those who will come after us.
For the next child who is baptized here. For the next family searching for hope. For the next generation who will need a steady place to grow in faith.
That kind of church does not happen by accident. It is built by committed people. It is strengthened by generous hearts. It is sustained by faithful stewardship.
So as we commit ourselves to witness, let us also commit ourselves to support the ministry that makes that witness possible.
Because when faith is steady, When generosity is faithful, And when a church chooses to invest in its mission,
The gospel does not diminish. It endures.