Remember to give thanks

Dear friends,

It is the season of gathering in and giving thanks. As I wondered about what to write this morning, I found a list of table graces. This one is new to me and I like it! Sometimes at our house the blessing for the meal is more a formality than a true pause to give thanks. We sing often and sometimes struggle to begin on the same note. We speak occasionally and make it a quick token of thanks. Thanksgiving cannot really be done in dissonance or without thought. God is the source of all we have, are, and will be. Mealtimes are a regular pause in the business of life. Whether said in solitude or unison, let us remember to give thanks to God for the food we eat, the people we share life with and God's blessing and presence ever with us.

Gracious God,
Thank you for the food before us,
The friends around us,
The love between us,
and Your presence among us.
Amen. -Bass Mitchell

With gratitude to God for you!

Pastor Beth

Love God

Dear friends,

“Let us help all of our neighbors discover that those who are labeled as “aliens” or “illegal” or “undocumented” are nevertheless people created by God, people for whom Christ died, people who matter. They laugh like all of us; they cry like all of us; they bleed like all of us; they dream like all of us. Jesus cares about them all. Jesus reached out beyond his own race, beyond his own faith, to those considered to be of less stature. He cared for the poor; he reached out to the rich; he cared for the dominating Roman soldier as well as the dominated peasant. He preached justice and mercy, and he cited the requirement of God that we love all our neighbors.

“Loving all our neighbors calls us also to pray for and care for those who are afraid of the strangers who live among us. We have a Gospel to proclaim – the Good News of Jesus, which brings alienated persons together through forgiveness and grace.

“Let us avoid harsh and hurtful words. Let us work for liberty and justice for all who live among us, loving all our neighbors, including the foreigners in our midst.” (quoted from the letter from our General Board)

"Love God," the Old Testament proclaims. "Love God," Jesus reminds us. And to love God we must also heed the second commandment to love our neighbors. Yesterday was a day of celebration as we enjoyed our Harvest Party. What fun to realize that our little effort has resulted in $5,200 that will be sent to the Foods Resource Bank. There it will be increased through grants and then sent on to programs that work at eliminating hunger from our world. Thank you for your part in this effort to "love our neighbors."

Take time soon to thank Marv and Judy for the effort they donated to make our project happen. And start making plans so that next year our Growing Project will result in an even bigger effort to end hunger in our world. Thanks for your part in making our Growing Project a success!

Pastor Beth