We have so much to share with you in this new year of 2010! For one thing, we are excited to have just completed our 21 Day Corporate Consecration, which focused on spiritual preparation for the New Year through the vehicles of fasting, praying, and giving. For a lot of us, the fasting was a new experience, and the “Daniel Fast” provided us a wholesome entrée into a discipline that will bless our lives. Periodic fasting will give us the spiritual strength to break through strongholds that restrict us, and will also increase our sensitivity to new vision and direction that God wants to give us. I am blessed to report that during the period our Prayer Meeting and Bible Study participation increased, and that there were also increases in our levels of giving during the period. Truly we have come out on the other side having risen to a new level.

With the fresh wind of God’s Spirit beneath our wings, we now enter into a new season of expectation! Even in these harsh economic times, we have the unmitigated audacity to believe that God is going to do something major in our midst. Therefore we are introducing a major capital campaign this month, calling it, “We’re Thinking BIG”, which stands for Believing In God’s Greater Glory. In Haggai 2:9, God speaks to those charged with rebuilding the temple of Israel, and declares that “The glory of this latter house will be greater than the former, and in this place I will bring peace.” God has declared that as we raise the capital do to critical renovations to our church, that God will fill our sanctuary with greater glory than we have ever experienced. Peace will reign within us, among us, and around us, and the atmosphere will be charged with God’s presence and power. We are trusting God to help us to raise $225,000 over and above our operating budget, so we will be asking each of you to give sacrificially over and above your regular tithes. We pray that you will consider being covenant partners with us in this endeavor.

February is Black History month, a time in which we appreciate (and hopefully try to emulate) the contributions of people of African descent throughout history. I am excited that we will also be celebrating the 250th birthday of our beloved Founder, Bishop Richard Allen. We must keep alive the memory of the hard fought struggles and blood-bought achievements of those who have gone before us. Remember that it was BIG thinking that kept hope alive for those in our history who made their stand against adversity and oppression, and imagined a day when people of color would stand on equal footing with all others. We are the realization of their BIG thoughts, and we owe them no less than to think BIG and believe BIG for our children and grand children.

“…bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise. I rise. I rise.”

BIG thinking brought us from a gloomy but proud past to blessed present, and will bring us to a promising future. Trust God for BIG things for God’s glory in 2010!