Church Chronicles: Ep 2: Balancing Secular and Spiritual: A Christian Guide to New Year's

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Welcome back to Church Chronicles with Diary of a Black Woman.

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I'm your host, Connie Morris, and today we're continuing our series,

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The Real Story Behind New Year's Traditions.

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In our last episode, we uncovered the pagan origins of New Year's Day,

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exploring how the ancient Romans honored Janus, the god, small case G,

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of beginnings and the start of each year.

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We also put those pagan beliefs to rest by affirming that God,

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large case G, capital G, is not any false identity who controls our beginning.

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So our God controls our beginning and transition.

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Today, we're shifting our focus to see how New Year's Day evolved from its pagan

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roots to become a day filled with secular and Christian activities.

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We'll also discover the modern aspects of New Year's celebration,

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like the countdown to midnight and the parties that many enjoy,

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while considering how these practices fit into our lives as Christians.

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Let's dive into these questions as we explore the transitioning traditions of New Year's Day.

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The Evolution from Pagan to Secular Tradition.

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After the fall of the Roman Empire and the spread of Christianity,

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many of the old pagan traditions associated with Janus began to fade.

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However, the celebration of New Year's Day on January 1st remained.

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As the influence of paganism waned, new secular traditions began to take shape.

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The Roman calendar, which sets January 1st as the start of a new day,

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continued to influence the way people marked time.

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The importance of the date persisted, even as the pagan ritual associated with it were abandoned.

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The transition from honoring Janice to simply celebrating the New Year's reflected

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a broader shift from religion observance to a more secular approach.

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By the Middle Age, New Year's Day had become a largely secular holiday.

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People still exchanged gifts and well wishes, but the focus shifted from seeking

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the favor of Janice to celebrating the possibility of the coming year.

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This secularization of the holiday was further cemented during the Renaissance

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when New Year's Day became a time for feasts, parties, and public events.

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The idea was no longer to evoke the blessing of a small-case-sheet God,

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but rather to enjoy the start of a new year with family and friends.

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As New Year Day evolved into a more secular celebration, the emphasis moved

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away from religious rituals and towards the communal activities that marked the passage of time.

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The Monarch Countdown and Partying Tradition One of the most recognizable features

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of New Year celebrations today is the countdown to midnight.

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Across the world, people gather with friends and family to watch the clock tick

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down to the stroke of midnight, marking the official start of the new year.

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Fireworks light up the sky, the sound of cheering, noisemakers,

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and even the famous dropping the ball in Times Square signaling the beginning of a new year.

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For me, the New Year's Eve is a time for parties, music, and dancing.

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The countdown itself has become a symbol of anticipation and excitement,

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a moment when the past year is left behind and the fresh start is embraced.

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This is a sense of communal joy as people around the globe participate in this shared experience.

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Often accompanied by the tradition of singing all long scene,

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a song that reflect, I don't know if I said that right, all long scene,

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a song that reflecting on the past and looking forward to the future.

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The moment the clock strikes midnight is often seen as a symbolic transition

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from the old year to the new.

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And this celebration is in various ways, whether it's with champagne toast or

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a kiss to a loved one or simply sharing with friends and family.

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This moment is filled with hope, optimism, as people make resolutions and set

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intentions for the year ahead.

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As Christians, it's essential to consider how these secular celebrations fit into our faith.

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While there's nothing inherently wrong with enjoying the festivities,

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we need to remember to keep God in the center of our celebration.

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The excitement of the countdown and the joy of the party can coexist with a

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heart of gratitude and reflection.

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Let's turn the scripture to Guy on how we should approach these celebrations.

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Psalms 90.12 tells us, So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

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This verse reminds us that every day, including the first day of the new year, is a gift from God.

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So as we celebrate, let us reflect on how we are using the time God has given us.

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Are we applying our heart to wisdom?

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Are we seeking to live in a way that honors him?

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Proverbs 16.9, the heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

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As we make resolutions for plans for the new year, we must remember that God

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ultimately directs our plans.

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The excitement of the countdown reminds us that we are stepping into the unknown,

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but with God's guidance, We can trust that our steps are secure.

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Today, New Year's Day is a blend of secular and Christian practices.

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While many people celebrate with fireworks, parties, and resolutions,

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others take time for prayer, reflection, and spiritual renewal.

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How can we, as Christians, navigate this mix of traditions and ensure that our

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celebrations honor God?

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It's essential to recognize that not all secular traditions are inherently flawed.

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The New Year's can be a time of joy, celebration, and community.

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Gathering with loved ones, sharing a meal, and expressing gratitude for the

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past year are all positive ways to mark the occasion.

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However, we must be mindful of how we celebrate.

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It's easy to get caught up in the commercialization and superficial effects of the holiday.

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Instead, we should focus on what truly matters, our relationship with God and

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how we can serve him in the year to come.

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So how can we incorporate our Christian practices into the New Year's festivities?

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One, you can start your New Year's Day with prayer, asking God for guidance,

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protection and wisdom in the coming year.

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Thank him for the blessing of the past year and seek his direction for the future.

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Set spiritual goals instead of or in addition to making traditional resolutions.

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Consider setting spiritual goals for the new year. This might include committing

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to daily Bible reading, increasing your involvement in church activity,

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or finding ways to serve others.

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Reflect on God's faithfulness. Take time to reflect on how God has been faithful in your past year.

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Write down your thoughts and share them with your family and friends.

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This practice can help you start this year with a heart full of gratitude and

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trust in God's continued faithfulness.

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As we have seen today, from pagan to secular and Christian traditions has shaped

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how we celebrate the new year.

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While the holiday's origins may have been rooted in pagan rituals,

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its evolution reflects the influence of both secular and Christian practices.

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As Christians, we have an opportunity to approach New Year's Day in a way that

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honors God by balancing the positive aspects of celebration with a focus on spiritual renewal.

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We can start the year with a clear sense of purpose and deep trust in God's guidance.

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Whether you enjoy the countdown to midnight, gather with friends and family,

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or take a quiet moment of reflection,

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remember that every new year is a chance to renew your commitment to God and

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seek his will in your life. Amen.

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Wow. So there's a chance to, like, I think when you think about New Year's,

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you think about just a refocus, a reset, a chance to do it again,

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a chance to probably, if you did it wrong, to get it right.

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But not wait so far into the year to reset.

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I think every month should be a chance to do a reset. How am I doing, Lord?

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To check with him. So instead of making it up, wait till, like,

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12 months and then do a reset. How long is that, right? but didn't do a monthly reset.

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If it happened to be a weekly reset and how close you are with God,

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God even does a daily reset, maybe hourly reset to keep you on track. Amen.

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So let's talk about what's happening in our last episode. We're gonna talk about.

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How we explore the modern custom of New Year's Day and discuss how Christmas,

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a Christian today can honor God by approaching his holiday.

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We'll examine some meaningful resolutions, incorporate faith into celebration

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and to start each year with a hard focus on God.

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Hope you find you join me and continue this journey with the history and through

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the history and the faith behind New Year's Day. And not to make everything

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super spiritual, but to really kind of figure out a reset.

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Like a lot of times Christians, we don't, we, it says we die for lack of knowledge.

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We don't have the knowledge of why things exist and why we do the things we do.

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So in this year, 2025 under church chronicles, that's what we're going to do.

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Not to just point a finger at anything, but to say, Hey, this is what was happening before.

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And this is why this we doing it now. And then you figure out where you go.

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So you don't just follow along traditions or beliefs just because everybody else is doing it.

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You have, I call it a working knowledge of why you do what you do, right?

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Because it's coming a time where we need to be accountable for what we do as Christians, right?

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If God wants to change us, would he be able to move you?

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Or are you so stuck on what you do now because it's been in your life?

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Like January or whatever people do as rituals or things that they do.

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Like January, I go New Year's Eve, I do it like this every time.

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And God might say, we're not doing it like that this year. And it might throw you off.

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If God is doing a new thing in 2025, is he changing that part of you?

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Just something to think about, right?

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And so just to be prepared for great changes.

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Because when God does a new thing, he's not reshaping an old thing.

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He's actually able to do a new thing, something you have not experienced before.

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So go ahead and prepare for that. But as we get ready to close this one out,

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I just want to thank you for joining me on this episode of Church Chronicles

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with the Diary of a Black Woman.

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I pray that today's discussion has given you a new insight into how to approach

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New Year's Day with a focus on faith. If you enjoyed this episode,

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please subscribe, leave a review and share with others who might be interested

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in sharing and exploring these topics.

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So next time, stay curious, stay faithful, and remember that truth is often

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more surprising than we expect.