A November note from Pastor Travis

Dear friends,

The country, indeed, the world, is facing some very difficult times. There is uncertainty. There is fear. It is hard to think about Thanksgiving when there is so much chaos facing our nation. It is difficult to have a spirit of gratitude when people aren’t being very gracious to each other. It is challenging to celebrate when we do not know where our nation is heading. Then, I remember the origin of our Thanksgiving celebration. When the Pilgrims celebrated that first Thanksgiving, they were expressing gratitude in what had been a very difficult time. Only 52 of the original colonists were still alive. Every family had known death. Every family had struggled to survive. They had faced a difficult first winter and were expecting the second to be just as hard. Their good harvest had only come about because of the generosity of the Native Americans, who had taken pity on them and taught them important planting techniques. Yet, they realized that life was a gift of God, and they gave thanks to God for being with them in the difficult times, trusting that God would lead them to better times.

However, Thanksgiving did not become a regular occurrence after that first feast of gratitude held in 1621. The first time it was held on a Thursday was in 1863 when, after many years of no Thanksgiving celebrations, Abraham Lincoln called the nation to set aside a day to give thanks to God for God’s gracious care. The remarkable thing about this Thanksgiving was that our country was in the middle of the Civil War! It was a horrible time in our nation’s history. People were dying, families were torn apart, the continued existence our country was in doubt and real danger, yet President Lincoln called for a day of gratitude and thanksgiving. In his Thanksgiving Proc- lamation, Lincoln said:

“…It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People…And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.”

In this difficult time, it is important to remember that God is with us, walking this path with us and will guide us through this valley. In this time, more than ever, it is important for us to gather in gratitude and thanksgiving for God’s love and care. We need to recall all the ways that God blesses us daily, and hold the most vulnerable, whose need is the greatest, in our prayers. We have the opportunity to pray for strength for those who work for justice, and to pray for wisdom for those who have been charged with the responsibility of guiding our na- tion. We can to gather in faith, trusting in God.

This Thanksgiving let us gather with the worlds of Psalm 66:1-4 in our hearts and on our lips: “Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise. Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! Because of your great power, your ene- mies cringe before you. All the earth worship you; they sing praises to you, sing praises to your name.”

Peace and Grace,
Pastor Travi