Thanksgiving
Of all the 52 weeks of the year, I am most fond of the last week in November. Thanksgiving has been my favorite holiday for almost all my life. While I do enjoy my grandmother’s homemade rolls, my dad’s carefully cooked turkey, and the multitude of pie-adjacent deserts, my love for this holiday is more than the food. The house I grew up in just feels different when people are on their way to visit. I can feel the living room change in anticipation of cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents arriving, bringing with them delicious smelling foods and great conversation. Have you felt that? The same four walls can feel very different when filled with new people. That is the reason why I love Thanksgiving so much.
In lots of ways, I feel this weekly. The sanctuary, lobby, hallways, and classrooms feel different when we all gather. There is a new life breathed into the space when we convene at 8921 Warfield Road. This is why I am convinced that the Church is not something we go to, but something we are. It is the gathering, by God’s Spirit, that fills any space with exuberance.
I don’t quite know what it is about being piled into my parents’ living room or around the dining room table that evokes gratitude. Maybe it is the realization that we have had years where gathering was not an option. Maybe it is the recognition of a steady tradition amidst ever changing lives. Maybe it is specific food on the table in front of me that reminds me of the things I have been given. For whatever reason, gathering and giving thanks seem to go hand in hand.
While it may not come naturally in ALL gatherings (I can think of some gatherings with family that are notably stressful!), we can choose to participate in thanksgiving communally. The good things we experience in life are reminders of the abundantly loving God who is with all of us.
You all will certainly be a large part of my stories this Thanksgiving. GCN is one of those good things that consistently reminds me of God’s never ceasing love.
Until we gather next, blessings to you all!
Pastor Lauren
In lots of ways, I feel this weekly. The sanctuary, lobby, hallways, and classrooms feel different when we all gather. There is a new life breathed into the space when we convene at 8921 Warfield Road. This is why I am convinced that the Church is not something we go to, but something we are. It is the gathering, by God’s Spirit, that fills any space with exuberance.
I don’t quite know what it is about being piled into my parents’ living room or around the dining room table that evokes gratitude. Maybe it is the realization that we have had years where gathering was not an option. Maybe it is the recognition of a steady tradition amidst ever changing lives. Maybe it is specific food on the table in front of me that reminds me of the things I have been given. For whatever reason, gathering and giving thanks seem to go hand in hand.
While it may not come naturally in ALL gatherings (I can think of some gatherings with family that are notably stressful!), we can choose to participate in thanksgiving communally. The good things we experience in life are reminders of the abundantly loving God who is with all of us.
You all will certainly be a large part of my stories this Thanksgiving. GCN is one of those good things that consistently reminds me of God’s never ceasing love.
Until we gather next, blessings to you all!
Pastor Lauren
Recent
Archive
2024
January
February
March
No Comments