Pastor’s Letter
New Year / New You!
It only happens once a year – a new year begins – BUT that doesn’t mean we can create a new “self” only once every year. Re-creating oneself can happen every day of the year. It’s designed that way. Every morning when you wake up – it’s a new day, a new start, a new chance to create a new “you”! There are endless possibilities – new ways of maintaining your health and fitness, new ways of dressing and styling your looks, new ways of thinking and feeling and doing good for yourself, for those you love, and for the world. Every single day – new possibilities abound.
You choose, you create, you design your life the way you would like it to be. Maybe it won’t happen that day, but every day is a new opportunity to take a step toward that goal. You make the choice - and so you are in charge of what comes of it. I know that can sound overwhelming … but please don’t let it overwhelm you – because even though the choice is yours – God is with you in the midst of all things. God wants good things for you and he will help you to achieve them when you put your faith and trust in him. That’s why we carry those gifts of Christmas – of hope and peace and joy and love with us into the new year.
Jesus has been re-born once again into the world. We welcomed him together on Christmas Eve. He has brought us those wonderful gifts and the light of heaven more fully into our world. Now, it is up to us to make them mean something through what we say and do.
The world is a difficult place – it’s shaped by imbalance of wealth, of justice, of human dignity. People are afraid, they get mean, they become focused only on their own well-being rather than the goodwill of all. It seems as if compassion has taken a vacation from humanity. Kindness feels like a rare event. Well – this seems all too close to truth. And the whole world is suffering because of it.
But there is another truth that we must not ignore or forget – good is stronger than evil. And that’s because of Jesus. He is King of our hearts and thus he rules the world – not those weak ones who promote all that bad stuff. If we do what we can to put aside the imbalances, the fear, the meanness, the concern for only oneself – we can make a way for Jesus to change all that is negative around us. We have that power because we are good - our hearts are good, our thoughts and words and actions have good intentions.
And we want to be as helpful to God’s will as were Mary & Joseph, the Angels, the Shepherds, and the Wise Men in the Christmas Stories. And we can be because this is a new year and each of us you are new too! Let us go forth and be the blessing to the world that God has called us to be.
With love, Pastor Susan
About Our Pastor
This is our pastor, Reverend Susan Hanson,
She was ordained in the United Church of Christ at her home church, St. John's UCC in Lansdale, PA on January 9th, 1994 in the middle of a winter weather event of snow and ice. That storm didn't stop their celebration that day - and she hasn't stopped serving in the ministry since then – no matter what. We like that about her - and you will too when you get to know her.
Pastor Susan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Child Development from Florida State University; a Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary; and a Master of Arts
degree in Pastoral Counseling from Moravian Theological Seminary.
And she completed her certification as a Reiki Master in 2013 – the same year she came to our church. She's also participated in specialized training through the United Church of Christ to serve as an intentional interim minister to churches while they are in transition from one settled pastor to the next.
Early in her thirty year career as an ordained minister, it became her calling to assist churches during these times of transition, taking her to twelve different settings in local churches, as well as chaplaincy positions in nursing home facilities. She'll tell you that she “has seen it all, heard it all, been through it all” with the people she's met – and even so, she still likes people and loves working with them in ministry settings.
That love is what brought her here to St. Vincent UCC – her “lucky number 13” setting as she likes to call it. When she arrived, it was to serve as a temporary supply pastor while we were in transition. But, we liked each other so much, we decided to just stay together on a permanent basis. In April, 2018, Rev. Hanson was installed as our settled pastor.
Our pastor believes that ministry is something we all do when we strive to be like Jesus and follow his ways. Her job, as she sees it, is to help all of us be the heart and hands and voice of Jesus in our own time and place and in our own way – so that we will do good; make a positive difference; and leave the world a better place for us having been here. She says, “That's the way real ministry happens – one gracious thought, one good word, one act of kindness - one moment at a time”.
Susan and her husband, Doug, who is also an ordained pastor at St. Peter's Pikeland UCC, live in Chester Springs. They have three grown children – their daughter Laurabeth and son Eric live in the local area. Their daughter Lindsay and her husband Charlie live in Alabama where they're raising the two grandchildren of whom Pastor Susan will be happy to show you pictures and tell you how wonderful they are – just like any other proud grandparent.
Come, join us – and meet our pastor. If you are looking for a worship experience which makes you feel good for having been here – then, come and meet us. We worship together every Sunday to share the spirit, the light, and the love of Jesus and become empowered to take it with us when we go back out into the world in which we live and for whom our ministry really matters.