This Wednesday: Friendsgiving Dinner, beginning at 6 pm. Join us whenever you can!

Dear Kris,

As we approach Thanksgiving, we reflect on John 18:33-37, where Jesus stands before Pilate, declaring that his kingdom is “not of this world.” In this powerful moment, Jesus invites us to reconsider power, truth, and allegiance—reminding us that God’s realm is one of liberation, not domination. For many, Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude; yet, we must also hold space for repentance, especially as we remember the legacy of Christian settler colonialism on Indigenous lands.

How can we reframe gratitude in ways that honor justice and truth? How might we give thanks in ways that acknowledge the harm done by the Church in the name of conquest while seeking a path forward rooted in healing and accountability?

In the spirit of truth and thanks-giving over thanks-taking,

Rev. Annanda Barclay

Please join us immediately following the Sunday service for our Coffee Hour

(in-person in Trinity Court or online via Zoom).

bit.ly/SVPCCoffeeHour

Theme for Sunday

"If you let people into your life a little bit, they can be pretty [darn] amazing."

Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

• How do we define truth and justice in a world shaped by inequality?
• What does true thanksgiving look like when we seek to repair historical wrongs?
• How can we actively resist worldly powers that distort God’s vision of freedom for all?

John 18:33-37

Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom belonged to this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”