A New Year Reflection from
Kate Hitchcox, Community Chaplain Daventry and Broadwell Methodist Church.

At the beginning of a New Year, many of us will make new year’s resolutions which, with all good intention, may last a few weeks or a few months.  But this time of year in the Methodist calendar, we also renew our promises or our ‘covenant’ relationship with God which I pray will hold me in good stead for the coming year.

I really value this service and in Daventry we will be holding our annual Covenant Service at 2.30pm on Sunday 8th January 2023, for which you are all invited to.  This service has been part of our worship from the earliest days of Methodism and John Wesley (our founder) invited the Methodist people to renew their covenant relationship with God, the “emphasis of which is on God’s readiness to enfold us in generous love, not dependent on our deserving” MWB p281

As part of our covenant service we declare that we live no longer for ourselves but for God… Here are the words of our prayer, which you can also make your prayer, this New Year.  

I am no longer my own but yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for you or laid aside for you, exalted for you or brought low for you; let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things, let me have nothing; I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to your pleasure and disposal. And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, You are mine and I am yours. So be it. And the covenant now made on earth, Let it be ratified in heaven.  Amen

Whatever your New Year’s resolution this year, allow this prayer to be part of it.  Allow God to work in and through your life through the year ahead.  And unlike some resolutions that fall by the wayside, we are always able to turn to God, even when things are difficult and trying, when things are joyous and peaceful… This year, let this New Year’s Resolution sustain you throughout the year and uplift you as you journey with God, wherever you may find yourself this year.

With every blessing, peace and Christian love

Kate

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