This month we enter into another “new” phase of our journeys.  Journeys that individually will take us into new depths (and hopefully new heights) in our relationship with God.  The end of this month we begin the season of Advent, which is a time of anticipation, of waiting, and of hoping for something new to break into our lives and dwell in us forever.

But there is a lot going on between now and the end of November here at First.  I’ve been talking about Stewardship.  And the meaning of stewardship is LOVE.  I talked about the three movements of that LOVE.  Down…we first look at how God’s love has come down to us through creation (God breathed life into man), and through the cross (Jesus died to save us all).  Then we look at that love IN us.  God loves us so much that God has entrusted all of us with gifts of the Spirit.  Some have the gift of teaching, others the gift of compassion, and some with the gift of communication with others, and much, much more.  The movement from IN is OUT, and that’s about how we use all that God has entrusted to us for the good of humanity in the world we live in.  And in that, we become an instrument of God’s love in the world.

This month we collect food to fill Thanksgiving dinner boxes for those in need. (Don’t forget to pluck your turkey feathers and return your nonperishables so we can pack boxes and deliver the meals in time for Thanksgiving dinner).  We also make a commitment this month on Commitment Sunday (November 9) to give a part of ourselves to the world as a steward of all that God has given us (more information on that coming soon).  And we give thanks (November 23) for each other and for the church we so freely worship and praise God in…all before we begin our Advent journey at the end of this month.

November is a time to give thanks for so many things.  We give thanks for friends and families, for all that we have and all that we are, and for those “God Winks” that can show up at unexpected times and in unexpected ways.  We give thanks that we can worship anytime and anywhere.  We give thanks for God’s work in us and in the world.  And we give thanks that God loves us and will never leave us.

I challenge you this month to explore those things you have to give thanks for.  To open your heart and your soul in silence with God, and listen for God to speak to you in ways you don’t expect.

                                                     Just pondering,

                                                     Pastor Patti