Conference Minister's Corner - 01/06/2026

Happy Epiphany! A dear friend of mine has two holidays she celebrates with great joy every year. One is Groundhog Day and yes, she has made several pilgrimages to Punxsutawney, PA. The other one is Epiphany. Early on she told me that on the night of Epiphany she heads outside to look at the stars (the star?) and make a wish: hoping, believing and trusting that God will give her what she wants or needs that year. When she first told me of this tradition, I did not correct her use or understanding of Epiphany; did not say, “Well, actually Epiphany is when the wise men discovered the Christ Child and he was made manifest to the world…” My friend was a Christian Education Director at our church. She knew what was what. This was just an extra layer. Besides, didn't the star give us all what we needed or wanted or didn’t know we needed or wanted on that night so long ago? A little saving from ourselves (or a lot), more hope than we could hope for, and everything else that Christ brings us? All wrapped up in a baby which today the world holds dear.

However you celebrate Epiphany: with friends or quietly on your own, looking at the stars or whispering the good news like the wise men that something new and wonderful is afoot here, may you (and the church) receive just what we want or need this year. Happy Epiphany everyone!

See you in Church,

Linda