I trust that you and those close to you had a wonderful Thanksgiving long weekend.

Did you know that when All Saints was still a fledgling congregation, the first Thanksgiving after Confederation was observed on April 5, 1872, as a civic rather than religious holiday, to celebrate the recovery from a serious illness of the then Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII)? Seven years later (1879), Thanksgiving was declared a national holiday on November 6^th.  The current placement of Thanksgiving – on the second Monday in October – was decided by the Canadian Parliament on January 31, 1957 – to avoid having two important holidays – Thanksgiving (Nov. 6^th) and Remembrance Day (Nov. 11^th) so close together.

In the spirit of this recent holiday …. imagine that you have asked me what I am thankful for at this time of year. While I have a fairly long list in that regard, I offer three things that come to mind, particularly as a deacon and member of All Saints.

First, I thank God for the opportunity to worship at our church without fear of persecution or threats to my own safety which we see frequently these days in North America and other parts of the world. I am also thankful for the growing sense of evangelism that is bubbling up in our parish due to efforts of our clergy team and lay ministry leaders.

Second, I am particularly thankful for the opportunities I continue to have in working with several All Saints ministry groups. The fellowship and dedication of our Men’s Group amaze me as these individuals: regularly welcome new members at our monthly meetings; pitch-in on various church maintenance tasks; and have responded with outreach programs for those in need. Our group has also initiated new programming options such as the recent Men’s Group Bible Study.

I also am touched by the dedication shown by our Church Open ministry team. This weekly initiative opens the church’s worship space, over the noon hour on Wednesdays, to current members and a growing number of curious passers-by who seek a time and place for quiet, personal reflection and prayer. Those who volunteer in Church Open have spoken highly of their own personal benefits, not only in serving as disciples of Christ in a welcoming role, but also feeling spiritually refreshed after their weekly hour spent in supporting this ministry.

Third, I am thankful for the continued willingness among our congregation to adopt a personal orientation to stewardship by making deliberate choices in allocating personal and family time, talent and treasures to sustain and grow all aspects of parish life at All Saints. I can think of no better example of how the Holy Spirit is actively intervening in our collective willingness to live Christ-centred lives and direct much thought and energy to our collective efforts in sustaining the needed talent and resources in various parish ministry and special events work.

Let me close these musings on what I am thankful for by including the ESV version of Psalm 100 (A Psalm of Giving Thanks).

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!
Serve the LORD with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the LORD, he is God! 
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the LORD is good;
his steadfast love endures forever, 
and his faithfulness to all generations.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Prayer

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'”  (Matthew 18:21-22)

This past week in our Alpha course, the topic of forgiveness was front and centre. I was so inspired by the teaching I thought I would share what we learned.

We were exploring the question, “Why did Jesus Die” and the answer was simply because Jesus loves you.  As a human – “all of us have sinned, and come short of the glory of God for no one is no one righteous, not even one.” (Romans 3:23,10).

Jesus took our sin upon him, forgave us and set us right before the Lord so that we can live released from guilt, sin or despair.

“He forgave us so we should forgive one another.” (Ephesians 4:32)

These key points about forgiveness really stood out and so I share them to give you something to think about:

• We forgive others because we’ve been forgiven.
• Forgiveness is a choice, but it’s not an option.
• Holding a grudge is like allowing the person who wronged you to live rent-free in your head.
• Not forgiving someone is like drinking poison and hoping the other person’s going to die.
• Not forgiving ourselves (or others) is like setting ourselves up as a higher tribunal than God. If God forgives, you must forgive.
• The first to apologize is the bravest, the first to forgive is the strongest and the first to forget is the happiest.
• Forgiveness is the religious word for letting go.

Of course, this is easier said than done.  It is not something many of us can do on our own, but it is possible with the help of God.

If you need help with forgiveness, remember the grace of God, and bring your needs to God.  “Cast your burden on the Lord , and he will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22)

As humans we are so limited, but with God all things are possible.  Lean into grace, and ask God to help release you from the anger and hurt you hold, no matter how justifiable it may seem.

For forgiveness is what Christ came to proclaim – in word and deed.  It is the heart of our gospel.

Prayer:

Help forgive us our sins, and help us forgive those who sin against us.
Amen.