“Remember to say thanks” is a childhood maxim that adults struggle to apply. Scripture commands us to give thanks: to enter worship with “thanksgiving” (Psalm 100:1-5), to give thanks to God at all times and in all circumstances (1Thessalonians 5:18) and to receive the good things of God’s creation with gratitude (1Timothy 4:4-5)
Thankfulness is medicine to our souls: it dissolves our sourness and cynicism and rewards us with contentment and joy. This Sunday, as we enter our autumn season, we begin with thanksgiving.
Baptisms
Firstly, we will celebrate the gift of new life in Jesus as three individuals are baptised, testifying to what God has done in their lives.
God’s Goodness
Secondly, we will have the opportunity to say thanks to God for what he has done in our lives. We will have an “open mic” time for us to share brief testimony of God’s goodness at work in our lives. You might like to think of something you would want to give thanks for that will encourage us all.
Summer Teams
And talking of thanks, we want to say a massive thanks to the teams who have been involved in upgrading our facilities over the summer.
So, thank you, kitchen team!
We deeply appreciate Christine’s persistent and meticulous management of the project design and contractors and her team of helpers: Janice, June and Alan, each bringing their own experience and wisdom to the planning of the kitchen project over the months. We thank Harry and Rod, who have both made invaluable contributions and Tom, who checked and secured the building after the contractors left. There were also teams who cleared the kitchen and cupboards before the work began and then spent days cleaning the hall afterwards. And of course to Fi and the operations team who have been wonderful, seeing that there was coffee and tea every day, ensuring the invoices were paid, moving stuff as needed and relocating groups using the hall and kitchen. Thank you!
Thank you, decorating team:
Stewart and his team, John, Helen, Greg, Joan and Graeme have done a first-class job plastering and preparing walls and doors, and making so much of our building clean and bright and fresh.
Of course, lists such as this run the danger of missing people out. So a massive thanks to everyone who volunteers tirelessly throughout the year, ensuring that everything from drains and gutters to prayer and pastoral care are covered. Thank you! Gratitude is an essential sign of Christian character – it’s a fruit of the Spirit.
Thankfulness
Thankfulness fuels worship. In Psalm 100, thanksgiving ignites praise. Can you imagine how energised our praise would be if we each resolved to enter our buildings determined to thank the Lord for all he’s done for us? We have so much to be grateful for. 2 Corinthians 9:15 tells us that what God has done for us is incalculable and inexhaustible – we can never run out of things to give God thanks for.
Thankfulness transforms our outreach. When we share our faith from the knowledge that we have been given the best gift in the world, eternal life with God, then sharing it becomes a joy, not a duty. Of course, it helps to be stirred up and equipped, and so we would love for you to join us for “To Boldly Go!” with Greg Downes on 20th September, to learn and grow in sharing our faith in today’s world. You can sign up here:
Thankfulness changes our relationships. Expressions of gratitude make us feel valued and appreciated. Many of us feel awkward or inauthentic saying thanks, so we need to break through this unhelpful hesitancy. Yet positive feedback, calling out specific good qualities we see as we honour and appreciate one another, builds bonds of connections and stimulates us all to bigger, braver things. Thankfulness is good for us and can indeed change a culture.
So, let’s commit to entering his courts with thanksgiving to God and to one another – who knows what might happen!
And, thanks for reading to the end!
Iain