Rev. Mark Thomas, Senior Minister

Dear Friends,

Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name;
make known among the nations
what he has done ....
Bring an offering and come before him ....
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever."
                                             I Chronicles 16: 8,29,34

Be joyful always; pray continually;
give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
                                    I Thessalonians 5:18

After you eat and are full,
give praise to the Lord your God
for the good land he gave you.
Make sure that you never forget the Lord
or disobey his laws and teachings that I am giving you this day.
                                  Deuteronomy 8:10-11

These are familiar scriptures that we encounter during our Thanksgiving holidays. A more recent expression of this attitude of the heart was offered by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, while locked inside a Nazi prison. He wrote, "By good powers wonderfully hidden, we await cheerfully, come what may."

As we approach this Thanksgiving season-with all of the issues we face: the troubles, worries, anxieties, illness, pains, hurts, grief, suffering-can we remember that there are many things and people, many blessings for which you can thank God? Is this not a true test of faith? We are told that since God provides food and shelter for the birds in the air; how much more will our heavenly Lord provide us with food and shelter. Try telling that to the person struggling to support children or an aging parent, the person who just became part of the unemployment statistics, or the one facing a life-changing or life-threatening illness. Can we find room, in the midst of all that clutters our hearts, for a message of hope and thanksgiving?

I am constantly amazed at the strength of an individual's ability to overcome the weight of life's uncertainty. As a pastor, I am often involved in a person's or family's struggle to survive difficulties of all kinds. Somewhere, deep in the soul of faith, there exists a light that overcomes even the deepest of darkness. Somewhere, deep in the soul of the faithful, there are inner resources that find a way out or a way through tragedy. With God as our partner in life-in both the moments of glory as well as in the times of need-we can discover those resources that lead to the heart that sings: Thanks be to God!

I am aware that many of you have been fighting the flu bug, and I hope you and those you love start to feel better soon! People will call me and ask if they should attend church or not because they are not sure they have the flu or not. A part of me wants to say, "If you have it, you will know!" But I appreciate the thoughtfulness of someone who wants to be in worship but does not wish to spread a virus. I tell them that if they have concerns, there is always the balcony or they can come and go without stopping to chat and mingle. I also tell them that they should remember that rest is one of the best medicines. We will get through this flu season, and let us be thankful for each and every day - even when we are coughing!

Your brother in Christ, Mark