Dear friends,
This is a week of Thanksgiving, and I wanted to share that for which I am grateful, and why.
I am grateful for my wife and daughters. They teach me something new every day about love.
I am grateful to live in our house, and in our neighborhood. I know not everyone has that, and I am grateful to have that opportunity.
I am grateful for my dogs. They show me what continuous loving presence means.
I am grateful for my teachers. For all the times you’ve ever wondered if anything is getting through; it did.
I am grateful for my church. Ours is a church that welcomes all and loves all, and I am so thankful to be your pastor.
I am grateful for miracles that we have seen over the past year. The miracle of vaccines, and treatments, and the miracle of seeing our neighbors again.
I am grateful for curiosity. I learned some new skills during the pandemic, both out of curiosity and necessity, and I’m thankful for that call on my life.
I am grateful for things that keep us connected because we were apart for so long.
I am grateful that we get to return to the Sanctuary this Sunday! I have yet to preach from that pulpit from which Bishop Jones inspired me in the past, and I can’t wait to share that sacred space with you.
I am grateful to all those who made our return to the sanctuary possible. It wasn’t easy. There were financial, health, and safety considerations that all had to be taken into account, but people stepped in with their gifts and their time, and their skills to make it possible.
I am grateful for music, and all the different ways to express it.
I am grateful for things slowing down, and for silence to break in so we can hear the still, small voices around us.
I am grateful for the men’s group, who keep me accountable in my own spiritual life, and in my physical life.
I am grateful for the joy…and the sorrow…I’ve experienced this year. It has been a tough year for many, but I am grateful that we are still in this world, and know both the heights and valleys, so we can welcome all in Christ’s love.
There are so many things for which we can be grateful. I feel like we can sometimes get so caught up in the busyness and distraction of our break-neck pace world, that we forget to be grateful. And we forget to tell those around us how grateful we are for them. I am grateful for you and cannot wait to gather with you on Sunday.
Peace,
Jordan