Dear Church Family and Friends, February 22, 2026

Greetings on this wintry day. I pray you are well and are staying warm. It s been a rough winter, but there s light at the end of the tunnel literally. The days are getting longer and in the next couple of weeks (March 8), we will turn the clocks forward an hour. Praise God!

Also coming up in a few weeks is our Annual Meeting on Sunday, March 15. This will be my first one. As always, the Annual Report will be available describing all that has transpired in the life of First Church in Pembroke in 2025. More importantly, we will also be looking forward to the future. With that in mind, I d like you to prayerfully consider the following:

(1) Are you a member? If so, during the service on March 15, please join me in renewing our covenant commitment to this local body of Christ.

(2) Do you call First Church your home church, aren t an official member, but would like to become one? Let me know.

(3) If First Church is your home church (member or not), how is God leading you to partner with Him in His work here?

I strongly recommend that, within the next week or so, you prayerfully review the Church Bylaws to be reminded of what it means to be part of First Church and to see where God may be leading you to serve. Please see Francine Palmer if you need a copy of the Bylaws.

Opportunities to serve go beyond the ones described in the Bylaws, so don t limit the possibilities to just those. 1 Peter 4:10 urges us:

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

Ask God to help you know where He wants you to serve. James 1:5 promises:

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Some of you have been in the same position or on the same committee for many years, and you sense God leading you to make a change. That s OK. I want to encourage you to follow God s leading. I d love to talk to you about it. The last thing God wants is for you to serve in a certain area because you have to. God loves a cheerful giver in service, as well.

The Lord wants to use First Church for His honor and glory. That can only happen if the body (of Christ) is functioning in a healthy manner, with the body parts where Christ, the Head of the Church, has placed them.

The ballot for Officers, Boards, and Committees should be printed before the annual meeting. Please reach out to Gail or me, if you are interested in serving in one of these areas.

If you d like to chat, please see me, call at (781) 206-2252, or email me at pastorjoy.fcip@gmail.com.

Love you all!

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Joy