By Don Stanley

Did you know the New Year has not always begun Jan. 1?

The ancient Egyptians began the year on the day that, in our calendar, would be Sept. 21. The ancient Greeks observed it on Dec. 21. And during medieval days, Christians celebrated March 25 as the start of the New Year.

It wasn’t until 1582, when the Gregorian calendar was introduced that Jan. 1 began to be observed as New Year’s Day — a date that was readily accepted in Germany and Denmark, but not in Sweden until about 1700, and by England in 1752.

But no matter what date was observed, New Year’s Day has always been seen as a time to forget about the past and look forward to what’s ahead — something that the Apostle Paul challenges all Christians to do (see Philippians 3:13-14).

I pray that each new coming day will find you discovering something new about God’s love for you, and new ways for you to share that love with others.

So, again, happy new year!

Pastor Don Stanley has been at Salem Church at Pinegrove since February 2017. He can be reached at 859-737-3004, or by email at pastordons@hotmail.com.