Monthly Message | November

Grace and peace to you!

On the second floor of St. Mark, as you may know, there is a board with the words, “What are you thankful for?” I believe I have written about this board before, but it is a question we might hear or think about a lot in November because of the holiday we celebrate each fourth Thursday of November — Thanksgiving. On the board, some of you and others have written wonderful notes naming what you are thankful for. They include “Faith, family, and relationships with others,” “Prayers,” “Love and forgiveness,” “Nursing home workers,” “Freedom and those who fought for it,” “Food,” “Safety in our homes,” and many more.

If you notice, some of those things listed are things we may take for granted, such as food and safety and freedom. We have so much to give thanks to God for at St. Mark and in our communities.

God gives us people who volunteer for service to this nation and may go to places where there is war and conflict — thank you veterans and all those who serve and their families.

God gives us the faith in knowing that God is with us when we are grieving and struggling, and God sends us people who also walk with us during those challenging times in our lives.

God gives us hearts to see our neighbors — both near and far — who are in need. Whether they are in need of food, shelter, clothing, or having a sense that they are seen and heard, it is a gift from God that we continue to make these connections and that we can, in small ways and big ones, share the gifts we have and, by extension, have people experience the free gifts of God’s love and mercy for themselves.

That’s the ultimate gift isn’t it — the gift of life we have with Jesus that comes from the love He has for us and showed for us in His ministry, His death, and His resurrection? That is the gift from which all those other gifts — and all of our gifts — flow from.

When you read that board, the one word that can summarize what has been written is “love” — God’s love for us and God’s call for us to love each other.

I invite each of us this month to go to that board, read what has been written before, if you haven’t had a chance, and maybe write down and share what you are thankful for this year and post it.

Finally, my family and I give thanks for all of you who are part of the St. Mark community and family. I am thankful for all that has happened here in the two-plus years I’ve served as pastor, and I look forward to what is to come as we look forward to the start of a new church year in December with the season of Advent. My family and I wish everyone a happy and wonderful Thanksgiving!

Pastor David