Leaving the Old, Embracing the New
One might naturally expect an every-other-month publication to begin each year with a January-February issue and end with a November-December issue. That is exactly what is done with our flagship publication, Bible Advocate. However, because of the BA’s publication schedule, Churchright ends one year and begins the next with a December-January issue. As a result, Churchright’s December-January issues straddle years, decades, and centuries.
I hope and pray as I write this front-page article that this issue straddles not only the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023 but, more important, the end of a period of pandemic-related fear and isolation among many of our members and congregations. I also hope it is the beginning of an era of freedom and fellowship for which we’ve all been longing. For most of three years, many of us have been masked and separated, literally and metaphorically. We long to drop our masks and come together to more effectively focus on Jesus and follow His plan.
The years 2020 and 2021 saw us forced to cancel cherished and important gatherings, such as Super Sabbaths, the 2020 Ministerial Council meeting, and the 2021 General Conference Convention. But in 2022 we began coming together again in retreats, camps, Super Sabbaths, leadership meetings, and a very well attended Ministerial Council meeting. The joy of fellowship restored was palpable.
The year 2023 brings with it an even greater opportunity to come together: our General Conference Convention, scheduled for July 10-15 in Covington, Kentucky. Please be sure to read articles and promotional items about convention in this issue and in future issues of Churchright and the BA.
But don’t just read about our 2023 convention. Register and plan to attend! If the convention website isn’t already up and running by the time you read this, it soon will be. Stay tuned!
Coming to Jesus and living for Him is all about leaving the old and embracing the new. Let’s commit ourselves to do that in increasingly significant ways as we step from 2022 into 2023, together.
— Loren Stacy
GC President
