“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”  Colossians 3:17

Dear Friends,

In looking over the many messages I send and receive every day it’s astonishing how often they’re peppered with the terms ‘thanks’ and ‘thank-you’. These particular expressions of politeness go a long way in calming the waters of communication and guarding relationships. Although our exchanges of thanks come in varying degrees of sincerity, they at least show some appreciation for the contribution of others.

God, of course, knows exactly how sincere our hearts are in giving thanks, so there’s no point in faking it! We will give thanks to him exactly in proportion to our appreciation of his gifts – and they are truly countless. Indeed, our existence is from his generosity, as well as the supply of all our needs. Even if we only see food at the store, God is making possible the harvests that supply that store as well as guiding the chain of supply from the farmer to the packager to the cashier.

God doesn’t just care about our bodies, but also our souls and spirits. Our deepest need is to be in relationship with him. Since that has broken down on account of our failings, he has come among us in the person of Jesus Christ to bring forgiveness and reconciliation through the cross. Communion is a time of giving thanks for this, the greatest of gifts. So it is that on Thanksgiving Sunday, October 13^th, we will share in the Lord’s Supper – and you are invited to participate. Oh – and thanks for reading!

In Christ’s love, 

Harry