Submitted by Pastor Andrew Sanders, Fairfax United Methodist Church

I Thessalonians 1:2-6 – We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that He has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

I don’t know about all of you reading this today but I for one love Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving each year is spread out over a week or two because of hectic family schedules, my wife Julie and I, both in full time ministry, get extended holiday celebrations. First, we will celebrate with our parents and siblings the week of Thanksgiving. The following week we will celebrate at our oldest daughter’s house as she has reached the age where she is wanting to host. I will also be celebrating within the congregation together on the Sunday morning closest to Thanksgiving, all culminating with a community evening worship service at the Fairfax Christian Church, where I will be preaching, November 21 at 5:00 p.m.

This time of year is when many of us look back on all that we can be thankful for in the midst of living in a broken world. The brokenness can become overwhelming at times, leaving a person to feel alone and isolated. You are not alone. God has brought each of us here to be in community with one another, to care for and lift others. These past two years could have felt like years of disconnect as many things have changed and shifted around us. We are not disconnected. We have a God who gave us the Holy Spirit to dwell within each of us, guiding us to alleviate the loneliness, pain and suffering that our world leaves persons with.

If you are looking back over the year and are finding it difficult to find things to be thankful for, please join a church and gather persons around you who can share their love of Jesus Christ. Who knows, maybe by approaching someone we can become the very blessing that they were needing to feel thankful this year and maybe we will be blessed in the process.