A word from Pastor Bette…

November brings familiar Thanksgiving traditions: favorite foods,shared memories,and tables surrounded by people we love.  It is a season to recognize God’s goodness and give thanks for the blessings we have received.

Yet Thanksgiving is not joyful for everyone.  Some notice an empty chair where a loved one once sat.d  Others have no family nearby, face financial uncertainty, or wonder whether anyone will remember them.  Gratitude invites us to notice these realities and respond with compassion.

In Matthew 25, Jesus speaks of feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, clothing those in need, and visiting the sick.  Those who offered such care did not realize they were serving Jesus.  Yet Christ tells them that what they did for people in need, they did for him.

On many Sunday mornings, I offer these familiar words of benediction: “Go forth from this place to love and serve Christ and your neighbor!”  Worship does not end at the sanctuary doors.  We carry Christ’s love into our homes, neighborhoods, and community.

The German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote, “The church is the church only when it exists for others.” These words challenge us to remember that the church is not simply a place where we gather, but a community sent into the world to share Christ’s love.  Here at Jamestown United Methodist Church, our ministries and outreach efforts are expressions of that calling.  Our faith becomes visible when we care for our neighbors, especially those whose circumstances may be very different from our own.

Perhaps this month we might invite someone to a meal, make a phone call, bring groceries to a struggling family, or listen to someone carrying a heavy burden.  The person we are called to love may be someone we barely know or someone with whom we disagree.  Each person is worthy of compassion and dignity.  Sometimes we offer care; at other times, we are grateful to receive it ourselves.  The smallest gestures can remind a neighbor that they are not forgotten and not alone.

As we count our blessings, may we consider how those blessings might bless others.  When we leave the sanctuary on Sunday morning, who will experience the love of Christ because they encountered us?

May our gratitude find its way into generous hands, open doors, and caring hearts.

Blessings and love,

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