A weekly reflection from a member of the Hastings clergy By Laura Stierman Director of Evangelization, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton #spreadtheGoodNews

As the Christian world now turns to the celebration of the Epiphany, those events surrounding the journey of the

where are they finding Him? It’s a loaded question, I know. Sometimes – most times – I don’t like the answer. I’ve been sharing the results of last November’s Pew survey, “Modeling the Future of Religion in America” and its shocking results. The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan American think-tank based in Washington, D.C. It provides information on religion, social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends in the United States. The Pew researchers looked at past polls of those who identified as Christian, how the faith is transmitted, fertility trends, immigration statistics, the ‘trust’ factor, and of course, the current responses of the people, and created four models of what Christianity might look like in the future.

If all aspects continue their given trajectory, Christians will be a minority population by 2070, if not sooner. We see it happening. We know it’s true. Our adult children are not practicing any faith, public schools and universities reject and condemn any notion of Christian morality or ethics, and culture at large tends to silence biblical Truths and reprimand its heralds. So what’s the good news, you might be wondering? Besides job security for us evangelists, there are so many opportunities and avenues to spread the really Good News: Following Jesus, the Son of a good and gracious God, making the Word your center, purpose, and reason for existence, can change your life.

There are a good many people who could benefit from a search for Jesus and finding his joyful disciples in our Hastings community. One burning question yet remains: If someone came looking for Jesus in your faith community, what would he/she find? The Magi found innocence, joy, marital friendship, the goodness of a stranger, beauty in simplicity, and Truth that God entered this world as a newborn, grew in wisdom and holiness, then chose to die so that we could live for eternity in heaven. Along the way he healed the sick and the lame, comforted the grieving and the poor, scandalized the wealthy and powerful, and forgave the sins of all who asked. He rocked the world and started a revolution to bring heaven to earth. And that, my friends, is the best news of all… and worth sharing in our community. #spreadtheGoodNews