🌟January Theme: Reorientation🌟
🌟Gentle Yoga: Saturday, January 10, 2026🌟
🌟11 a.m. - 12 p.m. at First Baptist AYMC🌟
Last Sunday in Bible study, we explored the poetry of David Whyte as we reflected on what it means to reorient our minds, to notice where our thoughts have been pulled tight or worn thin and to imagine a different way of holding the world. This week, we invite you to join us for gentle yoga as we turn toward physical reorientation. In this moment, many of us are living in bodies shaped by stress, vigilance, and fatigue. Physical reorientation can be as simple as learning to breathe again, to stretch without striving, to remember that our bodies are not problems to solve but places of wisdom and care. This practice is not about performance or flexibility, but about listening and coming back to ourselves with kindness. As we continue this journey, our worship on January 18 will focus on spiritual reorientation, grounding us in the deeper work of aligning our lives with love, hope, and what truly gives us life.
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Dear Beloved Community,
This past Sunday in Bible study, we spent time with the poetry of David Whyte as a way of thinking about reorientation, especially the quiet, interior kind that happens long before anything changes on the outside. The poems reminded us that reorientation is rarely dramatic. More often, it begins when we stop running from our questions and allow them to stand beside us. Again and again, Whyte’s language invited us to listen to what has been patiently waiting for our attention rather than forcing ourselves toward quick clarity or easy answers.
Several of the poems held this same wisdom in different ways. They suggested that the way forward often begins close to where we already are, not somewhere heroic or distant. They named the exhaustion that comes from living as if we are alone or solely responsible for figuring everything out. And they offered a gentler truth: that life is constantly addressing us, inviting us into deeper honesty, deeper belonging, and deeper trust. Reorientation, in this sense, is not about fixing ourselves but about learning how to turn toward what is already speaking.
What stayed with me most is the idea that we need to start close in. So often, tasks and decisions feel overwhelming because we focus on everything that needs to be done all at once. Whyte’s poem “Start Close In” invites a different posture. It asks us to attend to the very first step, the next honest movement, the small place where we already stand. Reorientation, in this sense, does not require grand plans or perfect clarity. It begins with noticing what is right in front of us and responding faithfully to that.
As we continue this month’s focus on reorientation, last week’s reflection on mental reorientation feels like an important foundation. Learning to listen differently, to question our habits of thought, and to make room for silence prepares us for the deeper work ahead. Reorientation is not a single moment. It is a practice of turning, again and again, toward what is true and life-giving.
My hope is that the poetry continues to echo for you this week, not as something to analyze, but as something to accompany you. Sometimes the most faithful movement we can make is simply to stay close to the questions and trust that they are already leading us somewhere new.
For learn more about David Whyte, I invite you to check out his website: www.davidwhyte.com
Blessings,
Pastor Brian
New Day continues its mission to become a "church beyond the walls" with a broad range of activities to build community and several ways to grow in your faith and spirituality over the rest of this month.
Upcoming Events
- Gentle Yoga: Saturday, January 10, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at the AYMC at First Baptist Greenville.
- Worship Service: Sunday, January 18, 2026. Worship Service at 10:30 a.m. at Other Lands.
- Q Christian Conference: Thursday, January 22, - Sunday, January 25. https://www.qcfconf.org/. Several of us are attending this in person in Portland, Oregon. However, you can also attend virtually. This is the premier LGBGTQ Christian conference in the country. Contact Pastor Brian if you have questions.
If you'd like to add anything for next weeks' community prayer, please contact Pastor Brian at pastor@newdayccc.com.
- Prayers for New Day as we search for a new worship home.
- Prayers for health and healing in the new year!
- Prayers for Cheryl's car situation.
- Prayers for the family of Laura's ex-husband, especially her son. The father passed unexpectedly this week.
- Prayers for Joe as he recovers from an infection in his finger.
- Prayers for Jason as he seeks to move back to California.
- Prayers for LJ's friend Sharon who has cancer.
- Prayers for Pastor Brian, Beth, Andrea, Sarah, and others who have unspoken requests this week.
Please support the work of the church by donating your time, talent, and tithe.
As we embrace new opportunities in 2025, your support is more vital than ever. Your generosity fuels our mission to serve the LGBTQ community, provide a welcoming space for worship, and grow into all God calls us to be. Every gift, no matter the size, helps us continue creating a space of love, connection, and hope. Thank you for being part of this journey—your contributions truly make a difference.
1/1/26-1/9/26
Tithe Income: $100
Interest Earned: $0
Expenses: $3.20
Net: 96.80
Click the link below to give through our Flocknote portal or donate through Zelle to treasurer@newdayccc.com.
New Day Christian Community Church
MEETING LOCATION - OTHER LANDS
731 Rutherford Road, Greenville, SC 29609
New Day Christian Community Church exists to provide a diverse, open, and affirming Christian community to all who desire a discipleship walk with Jesus Christ by offering challenging worship experiences, mission-based service opportunities, and Biblical learning so that we are empowered to reach out to others, introduce them to the love and strength of the beloved community, and invite them to join the faith journey of discipleship.
