Welcome and Merry Christmas! We are halfway through our celebration of Christmas, and a brand new year is upon us yet again. The birth of Jesus signals a turning point in history, a new beginning of sorts. Similarly, the New Year prompts us to reflect on the pass and thank the Lord for his many blessings he has bestowed upon us in this past year. It is also a time for new beginnings. How fitting that the new year should fall just days after we celebrate the birth of Jesus!
As we rapidly approach the end of another year, we as a staff are praying and seeking the Lord’s will for the year that will soon be upon us.
Setting a budget for our church means that we take the time to evaluate the programs that we have been running, explore new possibilities, and talk with our finance people about what it will take to accomplish our goals in the new year.
Enclosed you will find your Church giving report for the past year of (YEAR). We want to thank you so much for your generous support.
On behalf of the leadership here at (NAME OF CHURCH), as well as the entire congregation, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation for your faithfulness in giving.
As you probably noticed, the weather is changing, and we are once again approaching that time of year. God has been doing great things this year through his people, right here, in this congregation. It is a great time for meditation. Have you stopped to reflect on how God has worked in your life this year?
The scriptures speak at length of God’s goodness. The Psalmist writes:
For the LORD is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations. (Ps: 100:5 [ESV])
Summer has dwindled away, and once again we approach that great celebration of the birth of our Savior. If you have paid attention to recent events, the world seems to be in constant turmoil. When we observe the world, it can be difficult to be at peace and to have hope for the future.
As we approach this Christmas season, let us consider the peace that our God bestows upon us. The scriptures tell us that Jesus himself endured turmoil. “He came to his own,” John says, “But his own did not receive him” (Jn 1:11). Imagine the turmoil Jesus must have felt being rejected by his own people!
