Thursday, October 3

This week’s T & P idea calls on you to complete a two-step process. It deals with the alphabet, possessions, gifts and thankfulness. This activity came to my attention many years ago at a workshop for hospital administrators – a type of “warm-up exercise” for persons seated around a meeting table for the first time. I subsequently tweaked the exercise somewhat to use in my college teaching years with first year human resources management students. It goes something like this.

Step 1

• Get a piece of paper and write, in a vertical column, the letters of the alphabet from A – Z.
• Using a self-imposed time limit of 7-10 minutes, write a word starting with each letter from your alphabet list that represents something that you “have in your possession”.  The item does not necessarily have to now be on your person or in the room where you are carrying out this step, but nonetheless you possess it (e.g. for “C” you have a pair of cross-country skis at your cottage).
• Aim to complete your list for all twenty-six letters in your self-imposed time limit. (In my college classes, I was the time keeper and awarded a small prize to the student or pair of students who finished with a complete list of possessions for all the letters in the declared time frame).

Step 2

• When you finished, or when the time buzzer on your watch sounds, look closely at your list of possessions. Is there anything in common among all, or a majority, of your listed possessions?
• Are most of your listed possessions found “on or near your immediate person” (e.g. coffee cup, glasses, laptop, shoes, wallet)? This is a common outcome when done in an external environment such as a meeting or a classroom. Are most of your items “tangible”?
• Did any listed possession surprise you upon reflection; perhaps a needlepoint done by your grandmother and given to you on your twelfth birthday that you recently came across when cleaning out the backroom in your basement?

When doing this over the years with first year HR college students, there inevitably were listed items familiar to students – bus pass, cell phone, keys, notebook and purse. I then asked them a question, “Did any one list a possession that was less tangible than others on your list – for example compassion, a second language, curiosity, tolerance, critical thinking or determination?”

The point of this classroom activity, particularly for new HR students, was to reinforce the notion that many of our “possessions”, even though they are less tangible, are likely to be of value to an employer and be qualities that a company is looking for in a job applicant – to the point of soon being paid for such “possessions” by that organization.

As our lives evolve over time, we purchase and cast off many of our tangible possessions due to wear and tear, the state of fashion or planned obsolescence. It’s likely that we have thanked God for giving us the chance to finally get a job that allows us to acquire things, social standing or pleasurable experiences. But what about those other, less tangible traits, qualities or aspects of our being that make us who we are, being regarded as a person who is loved, unique or just nice to be around?

In prayers of thanksgiving to God for our lives, we certainly can include the circumstances that have brought to us the many tangible things we may have listed above in the Step 1 in this T&P activity, but let us also remember to include in our prayers all of the other less tangible aspects of who we are as human beings, made in God’s image and seeking to love and serve him in each passing day.

Prayer
God of grace, ever creating and restoring,
you breathe life into all things and embrace us with an everlasting love;
help us to grow in wonder and awe, to embody a spirit of gratitude,
and to dream generous dreams; that, in gathering what we have,
we may graciously offer ourselves to accomplish what you will,
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

From: The Collect. A Service of Gratitude, The Church of England.

The calendars ($7.00 each) are in baskets with signs and available at both entrances to the church and from the church office.  In the basket with the calendars are preprinted envelopes, please place the $7.00 in the envelope and place in the collection plate or in the mailbox outside the Admin Office Door.

Preview the calendar images here (Webmaster’s note: it’s gorgeous!)

SAVE THE DATE: All Saints Bazaar – Saturday, November 9, 9am-2pm

The St. Margaret’s Guild is still asking you to return your jam/preserve jars so they can be reused. This is a considerable cost saving over having to buy new ones. Please return only the ones that came from All Saints’. They cannot use mayonnaise jars, relish jars, store bought jam jars, etc.  Preserve Jar Appeal Updates

The Silent Auction is looking for donations that are new or gently used. Gift certificates from your favourite places, games, restaurants, manicurist etc are also welcomed. If you need to provide a letter when asking for donations please let Adriaan know.