I Am Thankful for You – Churchill-Gilford Pastoral Charge

Reflection “I Am Thankful for You”

For Gilford Churchill United Churches

Thanksgiving Sunday, October 8,2023

Krista M. Moore, M.Div.

Introduction to the Scriptures

Deuteronomy 8:7-18 God will bring you to a bountiful land. Luke 17:11-19 Jesus heals ten lepers; one returns to give thanks.

In Deuteronomy, God reminds the Israelites to be thankful for the land and all that God gives; to not rely on their own strength, but remember all good things come from God.

So we must thank God.

In Luke, Jesus heals 10 lepers.

But were they grateful?

Nine of the ten lepers forgot who healed them and simply went on their way. We don’t know what happens to them.

But one returned to say thank you.

As we listen to the scriptures today, Let us ask ourselves: What am I thankful for?

But more importantly, Who can I thank?

SERMON

Today I’m going to practice what I preach.

I challenged you to think about what you are grateful for. And since Luke tells this story about 10 lepers, where only1 said thank you and nine walked away. I am going to challenge myself to give thanks for 10 things.

1. I am thankful for the life of Keith Kell as I shared last week. And all who came to Keith’s funeral or watched online – for the many lessons I learned that day, of what makes a life exceptional. And it came down to one word, from his favourite scripture. LOVE. Thank you, Keith, for showing us how to love, and laugh, we will miss you. And remember you always. Be at peace, dear friend. And put in a good word for me at the top, as you said when you were here, “You’re doing a good job!” I’m sure you have more clout now.

2. I am thankful for my mother’s ever-loving presence in my life and wish she could be here today. I am grateful that she is recovering so quickly from hip surgery and is resting at home. She

believes it is because we prayed for her, and that she has a praying daughter, and praying community, and she calls it a “miracle.” So THANK YOU for your prayers. Mom, I am grateful for you. (I know you will be watching this later).

3. I am thankful to my father who always fills up my tank of gas, even if I don’t need it, because the gas prices are good, right now and he gets a better rate than I do. But more than that, because he wants to be good to me, because he loves me, like God, and shows me that I deserve it. And he makes me laugh! Thank you, Dad. I love you.

4. I am grateful to you, Steve, my husband, who puts up with a lot. Who watches behind the scenes to make sure everything is OK, and I am OK, and has been so wonderful a support to me and this community. He is my right hand, and some days my left when I get mixed up; when life gets tough, he reminds me to have faith.

5. My children. They are beautiful, kind, compassionate. They are independent (mostly) cross fingers. I thank God for their safety, their love, and their courage to become who they are. My daughter

Facetimed me twice last week and my son also. I am more than blessed. They are my heart, and God’s gift to us.

6. I am grateful for the dogs whom God gave us after losing peanut. Instead of two brand-spanking new pups – God gave us nine years old dogs, naughty at times, but they fill our home with love. I am grateful for Puck and Loki, and all dogs, and cats who give us unconditional, devoted love, loyal, funny, and so affectionate. Thank God for all our four-legged friends who make life better.

7. I am grateful for God, Jesus, the Spirit. For the quiet times with God, that I get to study his Word, write poems and hymns, meditate on the meaning of it all, and spill out love from my soul in many creative ways. Through writing, praying, singing, creating worship, working with others, being present with those in all of life’s beauty and fear which is really awe for what we do not yet know or fully understand. I am in awe of you God, and for Jesus who never leaves me. His Spirit is alive and real for me, the air that I breathe, the sun, the warmth, the trees. I am grateful for you God, and for the work I do for you.

8. I am thankful for the work of this community, including all the ministers present and past who have nurtured it through the years. For example, at the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast last week I realized that every single person there was in service to others: fire, police, paramedics, Mayor, Councillors, ministers, and pastors, lay people.

All were devoted to service and were there to support and pray with and for each other for our whole community. I hope that you felt it! I also witnessed Christmas for Kids busy packing up baskets in the Churchill fellowship hall, for over 30 families, continuing to do amazing work uplifting kids through Thanksgiving.

9. I am thankful for friends, who make life sweet. Like my dear friend, Lori who visited my mom last week, and we enjoyed a Timms breakfast. And today, I am grateful for my dear friend, Elizabeth, who drove half-way across the country (all night!!) to arrive on time to see me in action at the baptism and today’s serv ices. We will enjoy a nice retreat. Elizabeth and I have had some amazing adventures, and I owe her a great deal as she has encouraged me to follow God’s call and believe and have faith. We

always have fun, and time slips away. Thank you, Elizbeth, for being such a good friend.

10. Finally, I am thankful for all of you.

We have been through a lot recently. Churches closing, loss of loved ones, grief. And yet, here we are, at Thanksgiving, ready for the next chapter, the next step on our journey. We are always there for one another.

I admit, some days, the work is hard, and the days are long. But it never feels like a burden. I often feel joy at the end of a full day. I was grateful the other day when Linda Butler said, how fortunate I am to have come in to such a congregation as this – she was talking about how when we went through hard times, losing Keith, and other things as well, I was able to be there for you, but you also are there for me. In your kindness, warmth, loving words, gratitude, and encouragement. And especially your sense of humour – some of you even laugh at my jokes!

All the work is well worth it.

Even death cannot deter us from creating something beautiful here.

As the Apostle Paul wrote, Not death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things on earth nor things in heaven can separate us from the love of God.

That is how I feel when I am in this place. That God is with us, that God is guiding our every step. That God has put us exactly where we need to be.

I have learned so much from being here already. I have learned from you. To do all things with love and kindness, thoughtfulness, gratitude, and a positive attitude.

Even when things get tough, God lifts us up, and gives us wings, if we let him.

When last week so many things happened all at ones – my mother’s surgery, a death in the community, a baptism, challenges with our other home, war and conflict still going on in the world, health issues, making us weary or even fearful at times, God was there. God gave me grace to keep going. God gave me peace to be present with those who I encountered in the community. God gave encouragement, and I dare say, miracles.

We keep showing up here. And new folks arrive.

And this gives me great hope. Not only will we survive, but we will grow, and be resilient, because we have God and each other, we have LOVE.

And we have Christ who walks with us every day.

We may not see him, but he is right there guiding our paths. PAUSE.

I thank God for you. I hope to be with you for a long time. Let us be encouraged. And look forward to the future.

Let us be thankful, because when we thanks to each other, we give thanks to God, and when we give thanks to God, God gives us even more – love, encouragement, support, beauty, joy, appreciation, doggies, babies, sunsets, friends – things that make life worth living for.

Jesus wanted the ten lepers to turn back and say thank you. But only 1 did.

Perhaps we can be that one, or 10, or 100, who will express our appreciation to God, and to each other.

So how can we show our gratitude more:

Krista’s 3 Things:

1. Thank the grocery clerk who checks you out.

2. Wave to someone who lets you in in traffic or say thank you through the window.

3. Before you go to bed at time, let thank you be the last word on your lips. Say thank you say to God for all the good gifts. All good things come from God.

Let us give God our thanks and praise.

And we will have a Happy Thanksgiving.

Amen.

THANKFUL: Let us take a quiet moment to reflect on what you are grateful for, perhaps someone or something, past or present that has given you joy, or peace, or calm, or encouragement, love. Share?

JESUS SONG: I now invite us to sing a hymn that reminds me who I am grateful, Jesus, who is there for us when we are sad, and who lifts us up and guides our paths. I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say….