From the Rector ~ January 2025

My times are in your hands.
Psalm 31:15
Dear St. James Parish Family,
Happy 2025! The transition to a new year always offers an important moment to reflect on God’s
faithfulness and blessings – to think with fondness of all we accomplished last year and to look with
hope and enthusiasm for our life together in the year to come.
In the hustle and bustle of New Year’s resolutions and plans, let’s remember with intention that our
lives are not defined by the ticking of the clock, nor are they solely shaped by our own efforts or
ambitions. True, our culture loves immediate results and constant motion. Scripture invites us to slow
down, though, and remember that God is the one who holds the seasons of our lives in His hands.
As we reflect on the past year, all of us have experienced joy and triumph, while we have also faced
struggles, pain, or even loss. There is some measure of peace in knowing that God was with us through
it all, and He will continue to be present with us in the days to come.
We have good and important work to do together in 2025. With that in mind, may I include once again
the compelling words of American author, theologian, educator and civil rights leader Howard
Thurman (1899 – 1981).
When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with their flocks,
the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal the broken,
to feed the hungry,
to release the prisoner,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among the people,
to make music in the heart.
From “The Mood of Christmas and Other Celebrations” by Howard Thurman
I am excited to be with you into this new year, trusting that God’s purposes will unfold in our lives and
in our beloved parish, and remembering that all of our times rest gracefully in His loving hands.
Blessings,
The Rev. C. Phillip Craig, Jr.