Doing the season of Thanksgiving, I especially have much to be thankful for.  First of all, I wish to thank everyone for their well wishes, cards, food, and dog walks.  Piper now looks out the window excitedly wondering who might be coming by to take him for a walk.  Those who do understand why it may be a few more weeks until Piper and I can head out on our own.  Everyone’s support during my recovery has uplifted, held me, and helped me.  I so appreciate how wonderful you are, and will always be grateful for the blessings and goodness I receive from the church, its friends, and members.

I also wish to thank everyone for all the effort and time they are putting into church things.  The addition is coming along very well.  Meetings continue and accomplish things.  The office is running smoothly.  The Sunday Zoom Service is going strong due to all those helping to make sure the recordings are made, their input is given, and it’s being coordinated and broadcast.

Also, in a broader way, as we enter this time of Thanksgiving, I encourage everyone to think about how, there might be, perhaps hidden, or very obvious, a benefit to the difficult times we have been through over these last few seasons.  The worship committee decided that we will observe Christmas this year, and one of the great messages of Christmas is hope in times of difficulty.  With the New Year, and with our Zoom service that we will celebrate it on January 3rd, I and the worship committee want to invite everyone to perhaps share what they are grateful for, or have learned, during the year.

So, over the course of the next weeks, I invite you to consider the good that has grown out of the bad.  What have we learned about ourselves? What has proven important to us? What perhaps did we find was not so needed?  Where did we find our strength? Where were we able to help? Of course, you are free to choose whether or not you care to share any of this on January 3rd, but it might be good to have in mind, and certainly worthwhile to think over as our social distancing continues, and perhaps intensifies.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, let us recall all the good we have experienced, and plan on how we may enrich others.  I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.