Thanksgiving & Hope: Orientation & Reorientation
My Dear People,
The thing that we (Christians) do most often is… give thanks. Indeed, we are a Eucharistic people (as I never tire of saying), Eucharist being our primary shared activity, “Eucharist” being the ancient word for that form of worship that is uniquely Christian, “Eucharist” coming from the Greek for “thanksgiving.”
I have written to you before of how, five years ago in Pensacola, Florida, in the aftermath of a hurricane, the radical call to gratitude came home to me in a new way, as we celebrated the Holy Eucharist in a parish hall because there was a forty-foot hole in the ceiling of the church, the cross atop the church having crashed all the way into the basement, taking pews with it. (I still have a cross made from the remnants of one of those pews.) Meanwhile, with the help of parishioners, Gena and I had evacuated our little bungalow because of storm damage.
Authentic thanksgiving – that is, truly Christian thanksgiving – never ignores or glosses over the very real suffering in our lives and in the world, whether that be a hurricane, a war (or wars), a recession, or an illness; or all of the above. On the contrary, in the midst of it all, thanksgiving helps orient us – and reorient us – rightly. That is, thanksgiving points us toward the One from whom all blessings flow, reminding us that, in all things and through all things, a loving God is at work in our lives and in our world. Thanksgiving is an orientation of gratitude and, indeed, thanksgiving is an orientation of hope.
As we near the Thanksgiving Holiday, which was established, lest we forget, in the midst of another war, we do indeed have much for which to give thanks:
Our Such Great Heights movement, through which we have thought and prayed our way into new clarity and direction for our life together, asking God, “Who would you have us be?” and “What would you have us do?” On November 15, at The Feast, that Sunday evening, we will celebrate the work we have done and our future together, as well as the generous giving of our people, pledging support for our shared future. And, on Sunday morning, November 22nd, with the culmination of the Such Great Heights movement, you will be presented with the fruits of the Such Great Heights movement, a vision of our future together.
Also this month, with the conclusion of the Such Great Heights movement, we will inaugurate in earnest the search for our next minister of music. A committee was formed last month and began preparations for the search, in itself a milestone in the life of our parish, it being the first such search in over 30 years. Whoever is called will come to help us build on the long, rich legacy we have of beautiful and Spirit-inspired music and liturgy.
This month we will also elect a new governor. Whoever is elected, we can – and should – celebrate yet another affirmation of the great blessing we have in democratic government. And, if we personally are not altogether pleased with the result of the election (in terms of who is elected), well then, we can celebrate that another election will one day come! And, meanwhile, we can give thanks for the freedom of expression, and our right to engage in shaping public discourse and in affecting the legislative process through advocacy.
And, on a personal and family note, Gena, Nelson, and I want to give thanks for the whole St. Paul’s family and for the countless ways that you have helped welcome our Fin into the world!
Yes, we – you and I – have much for which to give thanks. We always do; because that’s the kind of God we have. And, as we do give thanks, we orient ourselves yet again; we set our hearts and our minds once more on the One who is our hope, the One from whom all blessings flow.
Thanks be to God; your brother in Christ,
Wallace+
