Empowered through the Grace of God

to love, lead, and serve

Hallelujah!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the assembly of the upright,
in the congregation.
Great are the deeds of the Lord!
They are studied by all who delight in them.
His work is full of majesty and splendor
and his righteousness endures forever.
He makes his marvelous works to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
He gives food to those who fear him;
he is ever mindful of his covenant.
He has shown his people the power of his works
in giving them the lands of the nations.
The works of his hands are faithfulness and justice;
all his commandments are sure. They stand fast forever and ever,
because they are done in truth and equity.
He sent redemption to his people;
he commanded his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
those who act accordingly have a good
understanding. His praise endures forever.
(Psalm 111)

Thanksgiving in the assembly, in the congregation, in the midst of those who come together to give thanks collectively to God the Father, Son, Holy Spirit…that is indeed a blessing! By now we have seen the blessing of fall; we have experienced the impressionist art made by the fallen leaves on the paths all around Northern Michigan and the vibrant colors that come with age! Now is the time for Thanksgiving…”Now, now is the time to worship him!” (Do you know that song?) And, as I write this, I am not sure when there isn’t a time for thanksgiving, because even in the depths of despair we have a God who does not ask that we walk alone, but promises to be there at all times.

Giving thanks as the assembly, as those gathered in Christ, only increases our thankfulness for all that God has done, because in the midst of the assembly we also get to experience how God has worked in the lives and through the lives of all people! And the experience of hope and love in the midst of God’s people only increases the capacity of joy in our hearts…of sharing life abundant with one another! As your pastor it is a privilege to share in those stories of your faith…of sorrow and loss, of celebration and thanksgiving, all surrounded by the assembly in prayer to a God who never fails. We may not always understand what is going on, but we can be assured that we are in God’s hands…and when we aren’t so sure…well, there we are, in the midst of the assembly where God is present and uses the hands and hearts and minds of each in a new and different way to lift up one another in the name of Christ! That is the church at work, as Assistant to the Bishop Pastor Julie Bailey reminds me! Because of you, I feel blessed every time I visit, and mostly, every time we gather to worship together!

“Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation!” Why? Because when we gather as a family with all of our differences, all of our gifts, we are learning how to work together in a world that seeks to divide instead of gather into community. When we gather as a family, we are able to give thanks with one voice for the gathering to which we have been called…the gathering of thanks and praise (which means worship!) to God who fills us with the Spirit as we begin to respond to our vocations in life. We ARE the people of GOD! We are strong when we gather in God’s name. Let us come together with thanksgiving then, and let us be vulnerable enough to listen to one another without judgment AND vulnerable enough to share our story of “God with us” with one another.

Happy Thanksgiving!

God’s Peace,

Pastor Sherry
PastorSherry@sbcglobal.net