This year, I’ve held two phrases in my heart – “Love draws near” and “What does love look like, now?”  I didn’t search for these phrases, or seek out a theme for the year. Like a stray dog, they just slipped quietly into mind in early January, curled up, and stayed. They adopted me, just a few weeks before my mom had a stroke. I’m so grateful for these words, which shaped my living and loving,  my preaching and praying.  The last few days, I’ve been remembering the ways God’s Love drew near to me, the way I got to draw near others with Love, and noticed that Love looked different moment to moment.

All of this makes me curious about you. As we come to the end of 2025 and peer into the year to come, I wonder how you sensed God’s love drawing near to you this year? I wonder how you drew near to others in love? I wonder what love looked like for you, in these moments, and how these moments of love shaped you or changed you? 

This Sunday, I am making space for storytelling. 

I’d like to have an open mic instead of a sermon. 

I’d like to make space for you to share

 how Love drew near to you, 

or through you,  

this year.