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Hello St. John’s Family,
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, a day in which we collectively pause to reflect and express our gratefulness for God’s goodness and blessings in our lives. Our children have given us a great example over the past 3 weeks, inviting us to join their “Grateful Train” by adding cards that note what we are grateful for. It has been wonderful to read the 211+ cards (and our train is still growing!) that you’ve added, sharing the many blessings we experience. I want you to know how grateful I am for you, who willingly supported our children as they learned the importance of recognizing all the good things in life, big and small, and knowing that God is the source of those blessings. Thank you, St. John’s Family!
I pray you will have the opportunity to spend some time tomorrow with meaningful people in your life, giving thanks to God for our many blessings, while sharing in good food and fellowship together. The prayer below is one I pray periodically to remind me of the many things that I have to be thankful for. Consider offering this prayer throughout the weekend (and beyond!) to guide you in thanking God for the fullness of God’s blessings in your life.
O Lord our God, the author and giver of all good things,
we thank you for all your mercies,
and for your loving care over all your creatures.
We bless you for the gift of life, for your protection round about us,
for your guiding hand upon us,
and the warmth of your love within us.
We thank you for friendship and duty,
for good hopes and precious memories, for the joys that cheer us,
and the trials that teach us to trust in you.
Most of all we thank you
for the saving grace of your Son our Savior,
for the living presence of your Spirit, the Comforter,
for your Church, the body of Christ,
and for the transforming power of all the means of grace.
In all these things, O God,
make us wise to ground our life on a commitment to Christ’s call,
strengthen us to extend your reign to all people,
and to render praise and thanksgiving unto you,
all the days of our lives;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Adapted from #553 in The United Methodist Book of Worship
This Sunday in worship we’ll explore Matthew 25:31-46, the third and final parable in Matthew 25. In the “Parable of the Sheep and Goats” we get a picture of how Christ will ultimately evaluate our lives, and we see how both “sheep” and “goats” experience surprise when hearing their evaluation. And, while few people look forward to evaluations, I sense we all long for the justice that Christ’s eternal reign will bring. I hope you’ll join me Sunday morning-
Grace and Peace,
Brad
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