31/12/2025
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A NEW YEAR'S MESSAGE OF THE LCP PRESIDENT
December 31, 2025
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
As we enter a new year - 2026, we pause to remember the year that has passed. We give thanks to God for His faithfulness—seen in our joys, happiness and triumphs, and also in our trials and shortcomings. The past year has taught us many lessons: lessons of humility, perseverance, compassion, and trust in the Lord. Even in times when we stumbled or grew weary, God remained faithful.
At the same time, we look forward to the year ahead with hope. We do so not in our own strength, but with confidence in God who goes before us. We are reminded of the promise of God as Immanuel - “God with us”—our ever-present help in every season of life. Whatever uncertainties the future may hold, we are assured that we do not walk alone. The Lord who accompanied us in the past will continue to guide, sustain, and strengthen us in the days to come through the Word and the Sacraments
As your servant/leader, I encourage each one of you to remain steadfast in hearing God’s Word. Let Scripture continue to shape our hearts, renew our minds, and guide our actions. In a world filled with many voices, may we continually listen to the voice of God that brings truth, comfort, and life. And as we hear the Word, helped and moved by the Holy Spirit, may we also live it out—bearing witness to our saving faith through lives of love, service and mercy.
This new year also calls us to repentance. As individuals and as a church, we humbly acknowledge our sins—our failures to love God fully and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We repent of our complacency, our divisions, and our moments of disobedience. Yet we do not remain in guilt or fear, for we trust in God’s abundant grace. In Christ, we receive forgiveness, renewal, and a fresh beginning. Repentance leads us back to the cross, where grace overflows and new life begin.
Beloved members of the Lutheran Church in the Philippines, take courage. The Lord who has called us is faithful. May this new year, the year of our Lord 2026, be marked by deeper faith, renewed commitment, and joyful service in God’s mission. Let us walk together as God’s people—rooted in His Word, strengthened by His grace, and guided by His abiding presence.
May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus throughout the coming year.
In Christ’s service,
Rev. Antonio del Rio Reyes
President
Lutheran Church in the Philippines
