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Together: Fresh Starts

Entering into a new year can be refreshing and empowering. It’s a time when people reconnect with practices that may have lapsed during the year or a time to try something new, such as visiting a church for the first time as a New Year’s resolution. Click here and tell us how your church is helping people connect with the classic ethos of a new year. 

Moving Meditations for the New Year 

• As you begin a new year, consider soul-focused movement that honors your body. Moving meditations are an excellent opportunity to be reminded that, "For in him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28, NRSV) Spiritual director and master yoga instructor, Whitney Simpson guides us through simple ways to nourish your body and soul for the new year. 

Hospitality tips for the 21st century 

• The new year brings opportunities for a fresh start. It also might bring new visitors to your church. Make sure you're ready to welcome these newcomers with these simple tips for hospitality. 

Spiritual decluttering: A fresh start for a new year

• Clutter can build up in our church closets and in our personal lives. Parting with a few things for a season may help declutter your spiritual life and make room for a new movement of the Holy Spirit in the months to come. What might you set aside in the next year? 

Five types of church visitors: Are you ready for them? 

• The new year is a time to make resolutions and get a fresh start on something new. For some, that resolution may be visiting a church for the first time. Make sure you and your church are ready to respond to the experiences of these newcomers.  

Seven spiritual practices for the new year 

• For many, the new year can be a clean slate or fresh start. Jayne Davis suggests spiritual practices that can help you get closer to God while bringing joy, meaning, and rest in the coming new year. They include gratitude, wonder, sabbath, and asking questions while deepening your relationship with God and others.