Gratitude, Justice and Eucharist

Dear Saints,

As we prepare to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday next week, this Sunday we will be experiencing our gratitude through an Instructed Eucharist. The word Eucharist, also known as Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper, comes from the Greek word for “thanksgiving”. It is a chance for us to come together every week and give thanks for all that God has given us. In an Instructed Eucharist, we unpack elements of our worship to deepen our sense of their significance and how they help us see, serve and give thanks for Christ in all.

After the service, stay for some coffee, conversation, homemade pumpkin roll slices after the 10:15am and other delicious baked goods after the 8am. Additionally, our Social Justice & Advocacy meeting will take place after the 10:15am service either in the Nave or the Guild Room once everyone has had a chance to get refreshments.

Lastly, as we think about the complicated origins of the Thanksgiving holiday, and ponder what it means celebrate it today, I wanted to share this post, A Brief Theology of Thanksgiving. It's a reminder of how gratitude can help us forge a new way forward where there has been injustice.

Remembering this history of cross-cultural encounter and conflict, we may give thanks for the dazzling diversity of this land, including and especially Native American communities. Giving thanks in this way, our gratitude can spur us to reach out and work together to create a more just and equitable world.

By acknowledging the realities of our past and keeping our hearts oriented towards God in thanksgiving, we ready ourselves to welcome the kingdom of God, a world of love, peace and justice, in our time and place.

I look forward to giving thanks with you this Sunday. I am so grateful for each of you and what God is doing through our community.

In peace,

Andria+

p.s. Thank you to our Fall Cleanup Crew this last Sunday! Volunteers persevered through the rain and got the grounds in great shape.