The Hope in Problems

5 Therefore, since we have been made righteous through his faithfulness, we have peace with our God

through Jesus Christ. 2 We have access by faith into this grace in which we stand through him, and we

boast in the hope of God’s glory. 3 But not only that! We even take pride in our problems, because we

know that trouble produces endurance, 4 endurance produces character, and character produces

hope. 5 This hope doesn’t put us to shame, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts

through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

(Romans 5:1–5)

The Hope in Problems

Good Day Family,

Nearly 200 years ago, settlers in this area realized the need for a spiritual community and began the work that led to our church – the First Church in Wellington. Through the years, like any church with longevity, the community was tested. From an early church split over abolition to a fire that destroyed the first building to the normal rhythms of church life to surviving, not one, but two global pandemics (fortunately separated by a century), this church family has endured problems large and small.

Even our current challenges invite us to trust in the God who helps us to stand as we have been standing for 199 years of faithful ministry. Being faithful doesn’t mean all things run smoothly or even well. It means that we keep going, we keep pressing, we keep believing. God is with us through the Holy Spirit, and God’s love sustains us no matter what. We endure because God builds us up through the trials we experience to stand. As we continue to do the work toward our future, as we build toward another 200 years, hold on to hope. Hold on to God.

With endurance,

Be well,

Pastor Cheryl

Let us encourage one another. Let us love our neighbor. Let us be the church.