A Personal Message of Thanks

By Pastor Wes Poole

PSALM 28:7

The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped, 

and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. – NRSV

As we all pause for our annual feast of Thanksgiving, I wanted to take the time to share some of what is driving my personal feelings of gratitude this year. Of course, I thank God always for the gifts of family, friends, and food on the table. I feel particularly compelled this year though, to thank all of you! I thank you for the trust you have placed in me, and the privilege of being called as your pastor. I’m thankful for lunches at Norm’s with the ladies, and the kindness and goodwill that simply abounds in that wonderful group of people. It’s one of the highlights of every month. I’m thankful for our church leadership; caretakers of the property, parliamentarians and constitutional experts, financial officers, and tech gurus! He may chide me for singling him out, but I’m truly thankful for our friend, Guy French, whose positivity and can-do attitude represent the heart and soul of this family of faith. I thank everyone who has been honest and forthright with me, even when it may not have been exactly what I wanted to hear. Then there’s our utterly competent, unfailingly helpful, and indefatigable Altar Guild. Thanks for everything you do…which is indeed a lot!! I thank everyone who has shared a kind and encouraging word on Sunday mornings. You have no idea how gratifying a simple “good message, pastor” can be! As always, I am thankful for the gift of music in my life, both in and out of the church. Sandy, Lisa, John, and Liz have managed to brighten our hearts and enrich our worship life even though there have been many restrictions to navigate. Thank you for sharing your gifts. While I am certainly NOT thankful for COVID, I am encouraged by our spirit of endurance as we continue to weather this particular storm. We may be a bit smaller and “leaner”, but we are still strong; strong in faith and determined to move forward. We will continue to face the “new normal” together, whatever form it takes. I could go on, but I think y’all get the drift. Thank you for being you! God has blessed us so we can bless others. May that spirit continue to drive us forward to a bright future.

Let us pray…

God of all good gifts, we thank you always for your manifold blessings. For family, faith, fellowship, and the time to take a moment to acknowledge your lavish generosity, we praise you! Make of us a people committed to turning gratitude into action, blessings into an opportunity to share. As we strive to model Jesus’ all inclusive love, may we never lose sight of the source of our blessings, a loving God who redeemed us all through His son, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Be well, be kind, be safe…and Happy Thanksgiving! See you in Advent!!

Your friend and co-worker in Christ,

Pastor Wes Poole †