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“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” Isaiah 43:19

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As I return to work this month after a rich and deeply rewarding sabbatical, I do so with deep gratitude for this congregation, for the gift of time and space that my sabbatical provided, and for the quiet ways God meets us when we finally slow down enough to notice.

February sits at the intersection of a dark and dreary winter and the promise of what comes next. The light is changing, even if the cold still lingers. The days are slowly getting longer. Something is stirring, even if we cannot quite name it yet.

The words of the prophet Isaiah speak directly into moments like this. God declares, “I am doing a new thing,” and then asks a searching question: “Do you perceive it?” Scripture reminds us that God is always at work, often quietly and sometimes unexpectedly, not waiting for us to act, but inviting us to perceive what is already unfolding. The question is not whether God is acting, but whether we have learned how to notice.

That question stayed with me during my sabbatical, and it has shaped two offerings for our life together this season. Both are rooted in the same posture of listening and attentiveness.

The first is Space for Grace, a Sunday afternoon gathering beginning this month. Space for Grace is a gentle and intentional pause in the rhythm of our lives, making room for Scripture, prayer, reflection, and silence.

Alongside this, during the season of Lent, we will also gather for a Bible study series titled A Holy Conversation: Learning to Notice What God is Doing. This study invites us to approach Scripture as a place where God continues to meet us, through study, shared reflection, and honest conversation.

In a world that is noisy, hurried, and often overwhelming, these gatherings offer something quietly countercultural: unhurried time in God’s presence, shared with one another, and a chance to notice what God may already be bringing to life among us.

My prayer is that these offerings will help us attend more carefully to God’s presence. May we have eyes to see the “new thing” God is doing in our midst.

I hope you will join us.

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SPACE FOR GRACE: A QUIET TIME FOR REFLECTION

During the season of Lent, the Reformed Church of Locust Valley invites you to Space for Grace, a contemplative worship gathering held on Sunday afternoons at 4:00 pm. in the Sanctuary, beginning February 22nd. Space for Grace is a quiet time shaped by Scripture, prayer, a brief reflection, and silence. It offers an opportunity to pause, to breathe, and to make room for God in the midst of busy lives. All are welcome

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BIBLE STUDY

A Holy Conversation:

Learning to Notice What God is Doing

February 11th and 25th

3 pm – 4 pm

All are welcome

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