By Pastor Phil
Lead Pastor

“After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it."  Luke 2:43

Well, friends, the festivities are coming to an end for us as well. Christmas is over, the New Year has arrived, and this week many of us get back to work or school. We return to the regular rhythms of life.  In the midst of this transition, I wonder if we have a tendency to leave Jesus behind as well?

I’ve noticed an interesting dynamic that seems to take place between Christmas Day and New Years Day. At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of a savior. We tell a story about our need for God’s intervention in our lives. God is our peace, our joy, and our hope!  On New Year's day, however, we tend to become self-reliant again.  We test out the capacity of our will power.  We set goals, start diets, plan to get in shape, decide to read through the entire Bible, only to fall back into our bad habits by February 1.

I came across an article in the New York Times that cites a study saying 95% of New Year's resolutions are broken by February. The writer makes this concluding statement, “Studies suggest, then, that willpower is a limited resource.”

Now don’t get me wrong. I believe in setting goals. As the old adage goes, “If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time!” Goals and plans can direct us in helpful ways. But I wonder if we struggle with our attempt to grow because we are relying on a limited resource. I wonder if we struggle because we have a tendency to leave Jesus behind.

Like Mary and Joseph sometimes we can simply go along with the crowd. Sometimes Jesus gets lost simply because we allow the rhythms of our busy world to set the agenda. Instead of approaching life with the question, “Who is Jesus calling me to be?,” we begin with the question, “What do I have to get done?” And suddenly the demands of everyday life build up and crowd out our deeper calling.

This week we begin a new year. We step out into the unknown full of hope and longing. But before we embark on this journey of 2022 let's begin by asking some deeper questions. Where is Jesus? How can I abide with Christ so that he can shape and form me into the person I long to become? What is he calling me to attend to in this new year? 

This winter we are going to be asking some of these fundamental questions about who we are and what God is calling us to attend to. Starting on January 9 we are going to begin a new teaching series that looks at the core affirmations of our life together in the Covenant Church. My hope is that this reflection on our foundational beliefs and values will help us recenter our life together around who God is and what we are called to.

On a personal level and a corporate level my hope for us is this — as we begin 2022 let's not leave Jesus behind!

By Megan Mattix
Children’s Director

This year's Christmas play was a team effort! BCC families, Julie Rushton and myself were able to pull something together that I think the kids were proud of. My hope and prayer was that the kids would enjoy the story and the mystery of Christmas as they told the story themselves. Our kids were honored to have a chance to help lead the church in worship that Sunday. Thank you for being wonderfully kind participants.

Special thank you to Julie Rushton for providing the script and so much directorial and behind the scenes help. 

Special thanks also to Jeff G for helping the kids sound their best and make sure everything translated (and looked) well! 

Thank you to Ben Taylor and Christine Keiper for sharing your musical gifts with the kids. They had so much fun singing with you!

Thank you also to Kristin Chatelain, Geneyem Barrett, and Justin Mattix for helping lead our little ones during the play. 

I appreciate you all! Enjoy these photos from that special day...

By Marvin & Dotty Marston

Dotty Jean and I have been going to Mazatlán Mexico with VISTA (dental and vision) for several years since retiring from dentistry and nursing. VISTA MISSIONS grew out of Seattle Christian High School’s Spanish classes and is now a separate organization. It partners with Shoulder to Shoulder which is a Mexican evangelistic organization, whose mission is to serve and empower 50+ protestant churches in the area.  VISTA MISSIONS is a favorite team because it provides a much-needed service and gives the churches real status.  STS prepares the church to be ready to present the gospel to each person served.  They also follow-up with literature and home visits when there is an interest in becoming a Christ-follower. VISTA MISSIONS serves for a week but is simply an “insert” in the life of the local church providing an opportunity for them to grow, evangelize and disciple people in their own community.

November’s team was the first in 2 years due to COVID.  Nineteen people were on the team: 13 in vision, 3 dentists, 2 sterilizing instruments, and one family doctor. The church was larger than usual which was great for ventilation and social distancing.  We saw 800 people in 5 days.  The best part was that 60 asked for spiritual follow-up. 

Miraculously all 19 of us had negative COVID tests required for our flight home. We would never go on these mission trips without a prayer team. This year our prayer team consisted mostly of friends from our 2 BCC Bible Studies. Here’s some answers: (1) customs with lots of equipment went smoothly (can be very challenging); (2) all dental clinic days went well despite 2 dentists dropping out due to a family emergency and the break-down of one dental unit; (3) Dotty Jean’s Achillies injury improved during the week; (4) A Mexican interpreter, recently widowed (due to COVID), found purpose and began to heal while translating for us. During the week she painted her first picture since her husband’s death and gave it to us.

Thank you BCC for your great support!  You have graciously allowed a collection box for glasses in the foyer. You have been prayer partners and some of you have spoken to us about joining VISTA MISSIONS for our next trip, in November 2022.

Gratefully,
Marvin & Dotty Jean
Mazatlan praise report Nov. 2021

Tell us about you and your family?

Having grown up in Bellingham, it is a joy to be back home. After living in the Midwestern states of South Dakota, Nebraska and Colorado, and then serving in our denomination’s offices in Chicago, heading to the Pacific Northwest was a welcome change. Mark and I are grateful to be sharing a home with my mother, Helen Trott. We live next to the old Armory building and look out over beautiful Bellingham Bay. Our two adult children live with their families in Anchorage and in Chicago. We have two grandchildren in each location. 

When did you start attending BCC and what brought you here?

I began attending BCC (then called Mission Covenant Church) as an infant. This church has been my extended family for many years. It was here that I was given a strong biblical foundation through the faithful telling of the stories of God’s people. I learned here what it means to follow God’s heart into the world. I’ve been back at BCC for about six years. So much has changed here through the years and yet the essential character remains.

How long have you been on the Leadership Team and what compelled you to say “Yes” to that role?

Currently in my third year, I’ve been grateful to use the gifts God’s given me to serve a community that has played a significant part in forming me as a follower of Jesus. We are living in a particularly challenging time for congregations as they seek to hear God’s voice and discern their specific mission. Discerning God’s will together requires that leaders learn to listen both individually and collectively. I like being a part of that process as we seek to be a vital and thriving expression of Christ’s love in Whatcom county. 

How can we be praying for you and your family?

Living through these challenging times offers great opportunity for learning to reflect the grace and love of Christ. Our home during this season has been our relational learning lab. Noticing when we’ve lacked patience or spoken more sharply than intended is an important step of spiritual growth. Just the noticing prompts an openness for transformation. So prayers for greater noticing and openness are always welcome. As a favorite line in one of our Covenant Affirmations declares, “It’s through transformed people that God transforms the world.” May it be so.

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?

Well, there are likely many things I’d like to say, but would she listen? If so, I’d say:

Be kind to yourself. 

Believe it or not, everyone feels awkward now and then…especially when we don’t yet realize how very much we are loved by God.

Learn to listen to your body because it has wisdom to share. 

Find your own voice and use it. 

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.

I serve on the board of a nonprofit called PlayFull whose mission is to help people and organizations play from the inside out. Curious? You can learn more at PlayFull.org

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without?

I’m pretty sure I couldn’t live without a good cup of coffee. That’s just one of the many reasons I’m grateful to live here where being a coffee snob is a regular way of life. :)

Soul Space Contemplative Morning Prayer

Resumes Wednesday January 5
8:30 a.m. on Zoom

Life Together Classes / Kids and Youth Program Resume

Sunday January 9
10:45-11:45 a.m.

New Member Class

February 5
9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Lunch Provided
Please RSVP to Pastor Phil at phil@bellinghamcov.org

Vespers Service

February 6
6:30 p.m.
(Note, there will be no Vespers service in January)