Pastor’s weekly newsletter | Jan. 3, 2020

Happy New Year everyone,

We welcome back many who are returning back to Key West for the winter season! I believe you will enjoy the temperature today at a balmy 81.

Tomorrow morning (Saturday) at 9 a.m. we will be taking down the Christmas decorations for the season. All you need to do is show up and pitch in and help.

Mary Cintron has given me an end of the year financial update. As you may remember, we started the year with a deficit of $35,000 in January. But thanks to your generosity, our revenue exceeded our budget by $20,000 and our expenses were $10,000 under budget. Praise God! Our pledges are up over 30% for 2020 and we are excited to begin a new year. Mary also wanted to remind everyone to date their checks 2020 as the banks will not accept 2019 dated checks and 2020 offering envelopes are available in the narthex.

This Sunday we are blessed to have Reverend Amy Howe lead our Sunday School while I preach at Venture Out. Amy is an ordained PCUSA Pastor and Amy and her husband Dave live in Memphis and have also purchased a home here in Key West. Amy has graciously agreed to lead several Sunday School lessons for me and for the next two Sundays, she will be leading a discussion on Capital Punishment.

Amy will be opening the discussion by looking at several passages of Scripture in both the Old and New Testaments. She will take a look at the first murder in the Bible and God’s response to it as well as the most significant execution of an Innocent and the implications of that act. What does the Bible tell us about death sentences? Please join us in Sunday School at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall!

This Sunday is Communion Sunday and I will be preaching on Making Your Life Count. This comes from Paul’s words to the Corinthians where he writes, “Run in such a way to receive a prize!” As we begin a new year, what are we doing to make plans to run for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus?

Next Sunday we will have a Congregational Meeting at the end of the service to elect two Elders and to give a brief report on 2019. For your information, the Session has unanimously invited me to serve another year as your Pastor and I look forward to working with you to make a difference for the sake of Christ here in Key West.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Pastor Daniel