By Pastor Duane Carlisle
John 1:35–42 (NRSVUE)
The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
Dear Church family and community,
Welcome to 2026. My heart and prayers are with each of you as we step into a new year together. As I’ve been reflecting on our goals and priorities, I’ve been asking what grounds our thinking—but also, what engages our imagination as a community of faith? A few days ago, during my devotional time, I found myself lingering in John 1, especially verses 35–42: the calling of Andrew, the first disciple named in John’s Gospel. Did you know that in the Orthodox Church, Andrew is known as the Proto-Kletos—“the first called”? I love that. In these few verses, we see how discipleship begins not with a program or a test of belief, but with recognition, relationship, and invitation. John the Baptist points to Jesus as the Lamb of God, Andrew responds, and soon he is bringing his brother Simon to meet Jesus—who, seeing who Simon is and who he will become, gives him a new name: Peter.
What strikes me most about this story is how gentle and human it is. The calling of Andrew and Simon is not a dramatic interruption by a stranger, but the deepening of relationships already forming. Some scholars even suggest Jesus may have already known Andrew and Simon through John the Baptist and their shared life around Capernaum.As we move into 2026, this feels like an invite year. The last few years have been times of celebration and deepening our identity, and of dreaming into new structures, new gatherings, and new spaces for community. Now, it’s time to widen the circle. The invitation story in John’s Gospel reminds us that discipleship multiplies through relationship and welcome. My hope and prayer is that you will feel empowered to invite others into the life and work we share here at First Church. I am so grateful to walk this journey with you, and I am excited for who we will become together in this new year.
And notice Jesus’ first words to those who follow him: it’s not “Do you believe the right things?” or “Are you ready to commit?” but “What are you looking for?” Their response is vulnerable and honest: “Where are you staying?”—where do you abide? They want presence, proximity, a place to be with him. Jesus’ reply is beautifully simple: “Come and see.” No argument. No pressure. Just invitation.
This story resonates deeply with me right now because I see it lived out again and again at First Church. People find us and join in this ministry because they want to be close to others who are practicing discipleship and working together to reveal God’s kin-dom right here in our community. So often, people show up because they knew someone or because someone invited them. It also reminds me of earlier seasons in our life together, especially during the pandemic, when everything felt uncertain. In that moment, I kept returning to three simple practices: celebrate, dream, and invite. We celebrated where we could see God at work, even in the midst of challenge. We dreamed about new ways of being the church. And then we invited others to step into that unfolding work.
As we move into 2026, this feels like an invite year. The last few years have been times of celebration and deepening our identity, and of dreaming into new structures, new gatherings, and new spaces for community. Now, it’s time to widen the circle. The invitation story in John’s Gospel reminds us that discipleship multiplies through relationship and welcome. My hope and prayer is that you will feel empowered to invite others into the life and work we share here at First Church. I am so grateful to walk this journey with you, and I am excited for who we will become together in this new year.
With gratitude and hope,
Pastor Duane Carlisle (he/him)
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