MIDWEEK MESSAGE #272
Hello everyone and welcome to Midweek Message #272 on this Thanksgiving week! I hope you are looking forward to the holiday (and time off, it you get it), but most of all for being grateful for all God has blessed you with.
Please remember to pray for our educator of the week: April Chandler. She and her husband, Jason have been married for 26 years. Jason works for Duncan Supply. April is a homeschool mom to twins, Grace and Gloria. (You gotta watch out for them though, they are tricksters. They like to mess with my mind because they are identical twins!). I’ve always had trouble knowing which one is which. I thought I had it when Gloria started wearing glasses. But then they tricked me by switching and dad had a good laugh because he knew what they were doing. The bad part? Jo suggested it. 😒 April and Jason also have two sons, both of whom are married: Brandon (Anna) and Justin (Stevie). They are also proud new grandparents to Lydia (Brandon and Anna’s baby girl)! 😄
Operation Christmas Child 2025 is now history. But Backpack Buddies 2025 is still ongoing. I mentioned in last week’s MM that we will be collecting non-perishable food for our school children now until December 7. I thought I would include the list of needed items again as well:
*Little Debbie snack cakes
*Rice Krispies treats
*Fruit snacks
*Snack-sized chips, pretzels, goldfish crackers
*Cookie or cracker packs
*Mac & cheese cups
*Noodle soup cups
*Cereal cups
We are currently collecting these items in the hallway. This list is available there, too.
KEEP IN MIND: The church office will be closed Thursday and Friday, the 27th and 28th, for the Thanksgiving holiday.
A Night of Christmas Worship is scheduled for Sunday, December 21st at 6:00. I’ll unpack this information for you in the coming weeks but here is a short snippet for you: Due to my series on the Everyday Gospel Devotional, “normal” Christmas subjects will not be covered on Sunday mornings in my messages. It is hard enough to get into the “Christmas spirit” with the rush and tumble of our daily lives, let alone not really hear it mentioned on Sunday mornings. So I thought it would be good for us to focus on the birth of Jesus one night close to Christmas. The night will consist of singing old and new Christmas songs, a communion time, and a closing candlelight service. It starts at 6:00 and we will make every effort to be done by 7:00.
For the curious: Many of you have asked and wondered about the new addition. We are still
waiting for the three outer doors to arrive and be installed before anything can be done inside. The Building Team is planning a meeting on Monday, December 15th to go over some of the information we have to consider.
A closing story with some words to think about:
Perhaps you have heard the story of how Mother Teresa died and went to heaven. One day God asked her if she was hungry. She replied, “I could eat.” So God opened a can of tuna, reached for a chunk of rye bread, and they shared a meal together. While eating she looked down into hell and saw the people devouring huge steaks, lobster, shrimp, chicken and pastries. Curious but deeply trusting, Mother Teresa said nothing. The next day it was the same scenario all over again. Meanwhile, she saw the big throng eating caviar, lamb, truffles and chocolate. Still she said nothing. The following day the same ritual happened only this time she
couldn’t contain herself any longer. “God, I’m grateful to be in heaven with you, but those in the other place eat like emperors and kings, but here in heaven all I get is this tuna and rye bread. I just don’t understand.” God sighed and said, “Let’s be honest. For just two people does it pay to cook?” 😄
When I read that story I honestly didn’t know what to think, but then I began to think about Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is more than just making a meal. I’m not even talking about the holiday itself, although that can be the catalyst for what needs to happen. Here are two thoughts:
First, open your eyes to all you have to be thankful for. Thank God for your full stomach; there are those with empty ones. Thank God for your lumpy bed; there are those who wish they had one. Thank God for your warm house; there are those who wish they had one to go home to. Thank God for the clothes on your back; there are those who wish they had your hand-medowns. Thank God for your family; there are those with one. Thank God for the freedom of worship; there are those who hide in fear.
Second, be thankful in the good and the bad times. Life is hard and comes at us from all sides. Some go through a year with nary a scratch, while others are battered and bruised. I lost my best friend two months ago after an 18 month battle with a glioblastoma. But I know where he is and I look forward to the reunion. Sad? Sure. But grateful I met him in 2017. My life is richer. But Job was right when he said that “Rain falls on the just and the unjust.” No one is exempt.
My advice: Set your heart right by being thankful. You don’t need a special day for that.
My sermon Sunday is entitled The Power of the Gospel from I Cor. 1-2 Cor. 9. I look forward to sharing it with you. Until then, know you are loved.
Pastor Bill
P.S. There will not be a Midweek Message next week (Dec. 3).
