Grace and peace to you during this sacred Easter season as we journey from the joy of Resurrection toward the promise of Pentecost.

After the Resurrection, Jesus instructed the disciples to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Though their hearts were filled with hope, they still needed divine direction and power. Their mission would not be accomplished by enthusiasm alone, but through complete dependence upon the Spirit. In the same way, we are reminded that we do not move forward in our own strength. We rely on the Holy Spirit for wisdom, courage, clarity, and unity as we seek to live out our calling.

As we close this conference year, we pause with gratitude. This has truly been a year of learning, discovering, and drawing closer to God and to one another. We have grown through study, worship, service, and shared experiences. We have supported one another in challenges and celebrated blessings together. Through it all, the Spirit has been shaping us — deepening our faith and strengthening our fellowship.

Yet growth is not the destination; it is preparation. As we press forward, we ask: What new possibilities are before us? What doors might God be opening? How might the Spirit be calling us to serve more boldly, love more deeply, and trust more fully? Like the early Church, may we be willing to say “yes” even when the path ahead is still unfolding.

May is also Mental Health Awareness Month, reminding us that faithful living includes caring for our emotional and mental well-being. Scripture assures us that God is near to the brokenhearted, and the Holy Spirit is our Comforter and Advocate. As a community of faith, we are called to be a safe and compassionate space — where struggles can be acknowledged without shame, where support is offered freely, and where seeking help is seen as strength, not weakness. Let us continue to check in on one another, pray for one another, and extend grace to ourselves as well.

As we anticipate Pentecost, may we open our hearts afresh to the Spirit’s renewing presence. The same Spirit who empowered the disciples is at work among us today — guiding, strengthening, and sending us into the future with hope.

Thank you for your faithfulness this year. I look forward with anticipation to all that God will continue to do in and through us.