From Pastor

Give Thanks
November 2008
“O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever” - Psalm 118:1

In November, we give thanks as a nation because we have been blessed and continue to endure. We give thanks as Christians because we have received life and salvation. It is because we know that God is good – all the time – and that it is His enduring steadfast love that allow us to endure through all things. To give thanks is to notice all the good gifts surrounding us and to be able to recognize the source. As Dr. Gerhard Frost wrote once, “to know whom to thank is Grace indeed.” We are blessed also because we do know the giver.

We are a nation blessed with freedom and for that we give thanks. We just had our national Election Day, which had, in most cases, almost record turnout. We took advantage of our freedom to vote and choose leaders. We have been blessed.

I wish to invite everyone to our Community Interfaith Thanksgiving worship service, which will be held on Tuesday, November 25 here at St. Andrew’s (Service at 7:30 PM). We will “gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing” and we will give thanks in word and song.

We give thanks individually, also – for our homes, our families and our friends. This month, as we give thanks to God, it would be good for all of us to take the time to give thanks to those who mean so much and who have done so much for us.

The Themes for worship in November.

As we come to the close of the church year, we notice that the themes of the Gospel lessons in November point toward the end times and preparation for meeting the Lord. This theme “spills over” into the season of Advent.

On November 9th, we have the parable of the 10 bridesmaids – five wise, who were prepared for the coming of the bridegroom, and five foolish who were not. (Matthew 25:1-13)

On November 16th, the Gospel lesson (Matthew 25:14-30) is Jesus’ Parable of the Talents in which Jesus calls us to accountability in the use and sharing of our talents and faith.

On November 23rd, Christ the King Sunday, the Gospel lesson (Matthew 25:31-46) is the scene of the final judgment, which Jesus describes as the king coming to separate the sheep (those who have done acts of mercy) from the goats (those who have not.)

On November 30th, we begin the new church year with the season of Advent, (which means “coming”) in anticipation of the celebration of Christmas. The Gospel lesson for that day is Mark 13:32-37, which reminds us again to stay alert for the coming of Christ and the new age of salvation.

Come and join us as we worship and have fellowship together in the name of the Lord each Sunday.

Pastor Johnsen