Thoughts from the Rectory

 for January 2026

Dear Friends

Here we are, at the turning of the year…again. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are looking ahead to 2026 with a sense of hope and courage. As I reflect on 2025 and the year ahead, I find myself pondering: could this truly a newbeginning? A “New Year, new start”?

Every year brings new plans, aspirations, and unfulfilled goals from the previous year. I often reassure myself, “It’s only January; I have the whole year ahead to accomplish what I set out to do.” Yet, time has a way of slipping by. Before I realise it, June arrives, and I’m left wondering where those six months went. Then, in the blink of an eye, Christmas is upon me, andthe cycle of another New Year begins. Does this mean I’ve wasted another year?

Probably not. Let me ask you a question… When is the best time to plant a tree? Twenty years ago. When is the second-best time to plant a tree? Today.

Each day and year is a gift from God. Today is possibly the most valuable gift I will ever receive and this year, I have faith that God is granting me a fresh start, but not a fresh start that can only begin on the 1st of January, but a fresh start, a fresh gift that can begin on any day. How do I know? Because I choose not to carry past issues, failures, or unfulfilled plans into this new year. As Psalm 90:12 says:

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

God has gifted each of us twenty-four hours every day—a significant amount of time to use wisely. I’ve started contemplating how I will make the most of my next twenty-four hours. Will they be meaningful, or will they pass by unnoticed? The way I spend my time directly shapes how I live my life.

This year, I aim to embrace a mindset of possibility, with each new day that God gives. With God, all things are achievable. Instead of letting time slip through my fingers, I want to stretch my goals just beyond my comfort zone.

Often, self-doubt and disbelief hold us back, leaving Important things undone. But this year, I’ll choose to believe in what’s possible…today, in the here and now and God’s goodness assures me that I can succeed with his grace and strength.

If you want to achieve your goals, give yourself permission to believe they are possible—and trust God to help you make them happen.

Happy New Year,

Jonathan