Looking Ahead

Thanksgiving has a long history in our country. We remember learning about the “First Thanksgiving” in school. This harvest festival was celebrated in 1621 by between 50-100 settlers from England after their first successful harvest in the new world. They were joined by about 90 Native Americans who had helped them settle and plant crops after the Wampanoag tribesmen were alerted to festival by some hunters bringing in the main course. For several days they enjoyed a feast together, celebrating their collective bounty.

In 1863 Abraham Lincoln issued a Presidential proclamation dedicating the fourth Thursday of November as a national day of thanks. It is interesting that this day was set aside to give thanks during one of the darkest times in United States history, in the middle of the Civil War. Perhaps Lincoln took this step, in part, due to a letter writing campaign conducted by Sarah Josepha Hale, who believed that a day of thanksgiving celebrated by all the states, on the same day, might ease the tensions between the north and the south.

Of course, the theme of thanksgiving goes back well before the United States. In the New Testament the word appears at least 38 times. We are reminded over and over again to give thanks. It would seem that people like Sarah Hale and President Lincoln agreed with the New Testament writers that the most important times to give thanks were not when everything was going great, but when times were a little more challenging.

I love the description of the church in the book of Acts. “And all who believed were together and had all things in common.” In the middle of difficult times, the church provided for the needs of one another. At Wallula Christian Church we have several ministry teams that focus on meeting the needs of believers. Our “Care Ministry” works to encourage other followers of Jesus and to offer support to them during times of need. Maybe you’ve received a meal after an operation, or like me, just had your spirits lifted by an encouraging note in the mail, the Care Team helps hold us together. Wallula’s “Helping Ministry” serves to meet some basic needs of folks in our community in and in our church family. If you have some unexpected struggles, maybe due to the government shut down, please let us know. Our Helping Team is our expression of having “all things in common.” We are here to help and support one another, so please let me know if there is some way we can help or pray for you during this time.

I’m looking forward to our times of thanksgiving here at Wallula! November 23 is going to be a great night of Puzzles, Praise and Pie! Sign up on church center app & let us know that you and your family and friends will be at Wallula for some great puzzle games, a time of praise and worship and then a chance to fellowship over the best part of any Thanksgiving feast, dessert!

I hope to see you Sunday!

Lance

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:18-20