January has given us a glorious start to the new year!! After torrential rains over the holidays, we are seeing the vast beauty of Napa Valley all around us – green hills, mustard fields with stately vines, and the early blooms of fragrant Narcissus breaking ground. We are so blessed to be in this place! I want to invite everyone here to Napa Valley to come and see!
Which reminds me of our gospel message from Sunday… when two disciples of John the Baptist left John and followed Jesus – Jesus turned to them and said “What are you looking for? They responded – “Rabbi – where are you staying?” Jesus responded with an invitation for them to “Come and See”!!!
Oh, the power of being invited by the Creator of the Universe – the one through whom all things came into being – to come and see where He is!! When we respond to his invitation to come and see, we are welcomed into His presence!
For me, this is exactly how I felt when I first visited Grace church in 2015! My family and I were in the process of moving to the Valley. I was seeking a church home for all of us – my husband, son, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law. As my husband is the son of an Episcopal priest, an Episcopal church made sense. But I had no idea what a warm and inviting place Grace would be for me. I felt welcomed! I felt His presence. I was home!
I’m a big believer that whatever church we choose, we need to be where we meet God! Where we experience His welcome, His invitation, and His “Come and See”. What’s beautiful about Grace Episcopal Church is that we are welcomed! We are growing! We are experiencing a sweet and spirit-filled renewal. Our lives are enriched and our circles are expanding. These are signs of Gods blessings. We are where He is!
As a church community, we begin the new year by celebrating our journey together during our annual meeting (scheduled for this Sunday after our 9 am service). Everyone is welcome! During this time, we marvel at all that God has done in 2025 and dream together of all He will do in our midst in 2026. We share our plans for caring for the grounds, stewarding the Lord’s monies, teaching our children, worshiping together, and living out our mission in the world. We unite in our prayers that God’s will be done. And we unite in our prayers that all who enter our doors, will experience Jesus’ invitation to find Him here.
So please join us Sunday! And say yes to God’s invitation to “Come and See”!
Joyfully,
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