Gratitude
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Good morning. Grace and peace to you, dear people of St. Peter’s. I pray that you and those in your care are well today and that you experience a sense of gratitude for God's blessings.
The two verses above from Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians are a favorite of mine. They have been a companion in heights of joy and an encouragement through valleys of hardship. In these verses, Paul encourages a fledging Christian community that was holding onto the promise of the kingdom of God amid great challenges. Paul wasn’t asking the Thessalonians to put on a happy face. Rather, he was reminding them that God who formed the world and causes the sun to rise each day is with them and will be with them always. Nothing can separate them from the love of God. They are blessed. This is indeed a cause for rejoicing and thanksgiving!
Friends. You too are blessed. You are gifted. God is here. I have come to know you as a community that welcomes and celebrates God’s presence and seeks to return this gift to God each day in gestures of kindness, generosity, and hospitality. You are people of joy and are always ready to give yourselves away. This spirit of giving begins with the good work that God is already doing within you that flows out with a deep sense of gratitude. The beauty of God’s abundance is that when we give ourselves away, God’s blessings multiply out into the world and return to us with greater blessings.
We are finishing our financial stewardship campaign and give thanks for all who have pledged to support St. Peter’s mission and ministry. While we’ve reached our financial goal this year, we are striving to broaden participation to include every member of the parish.
If you have pledged, thank you. If you have yet to take this next step, please join us. Your pledge is an expression of gratitude for all that God has given you with certain hope that God will do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine in and through us.
To pledge go to www.saint-peters.org/giving. Every member counts. You have been gifted with God’s abundant grace and love. Giving will connect you more deeply to God and to this community of God’s peace and grace. We rejoice in all that God is doing as we step out in generosity.
See you tomorrow morning for worship at 8 am or 10:15 am and formation for all ages at 9 am.
Grace and peace,
The Rev. Jenifer Gamber
Rector, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
