Gratitude and Joy

Dear First Family, 
 
I shared with our staff this Monday that in the rhythm of our life together, these next few weeks were going to be an opportunity for us all to take a deep breath. Thanksgiving is a few weeks away and we all know that as soon as the last few bites of turkey and dressing are consumed, we do have a tendency to move directly into “Christmas mode.” 
 
For the life of the church, December is always a jam-packed full month, but what fills our calendar in that final month of the year are all things we greatly appreciate and enjoy in our life together. 
 
I think part of the reason we are often so anxious in our anticipation of it is that we don’t want to miss even a moment of it. 
 
But for now… for these next few weeks… it’s an opportunity for us to pause, to embrace God’s Sabbath rest, and move into the holidays filled with gratitude and joy. 
 
I want you to know that this is the heart of everything we have planned as we gather in worship these next two weekends. We want to focus on being filled with gratitude and overflowing with joy. I hope you will be with us this weekend as we seek to embrace these two gifts God delights in pouring into our hearts and lives. 
 
So if you find yourself feeling frazzled, anxious, hurried, or uneasy, let me challenge you to take a breath and remember… “the Lord is good and his love endures forever.”
 
As a sneak peek of what we have planned this weekend, the passage of scripture we will be focusing on is Psalm 100. May these words bless you today as we prepare to be together in the coming days. 
 
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
 
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
 
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
 give thanks to him and praise his name.
 
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
 
Grace & Peace, 
 
Pastor David