Message for September 15, 2024
Brothers & Sisters,
There is much in our Cure today to give God thanks for:
At the Church of St. John the Evangelist, as part of the ongoing commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the Mother’s Union of the Church, we recognize Gloria Grant, Adelaide Pinnock and Hermin Price for their long, outstanding, dedicated and unwavering contribution to this noble organization.
At the Church of the Transfiguration the Junior Choir will be celebrating over 45 years of dedicated service, through the talents and teachings of (the late) Paul Ramsay, Audrey Wright, Carol Jones,( the late) Yvonne Morgan and Sonia Morgan. We give thanks to God for them, as the Choir continues to enrich and enhance the service on a Third Sunday and special occasions.
Also not to be left out, the Church of St. Martin will be having their Rally on November 3, 2024.
We are grateful for the leadership of Rev. Fr. Edward Jennings, President for the Mass at St. John and Rev. Fr. Peter D. Clarke, President and Preacher for the Mass at The Transfiguration, respectively; as well as Captain Chris Givans, who will be delivering God’s message at St. John this morning.
The Bible is filled with commands to give thanks to God (Psalm 106:1; 107:1; 118:1; 1 Chronicles 16:34; 1 Thessalonians 5:18). Most verses go on to list reasons why we should thank Him, such as “His love endures forever” (Psalm 136:3), “He is good” (Psalm 118:29), and “His mercy is everlasting” (Psalm 100:5). Thanksgiving and praise always go together. We cannot adequately praise and worship God without also being thankful.
Feeling and expressing appreciation is good for us. Like any wise father, God wants us to learn to be thankful for all the gifts He has given us (James 1:17). It is in our best interest to be reminded that everything we have is a gift from Him. First Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
We can have thankful hearts toward God even when we do not feel thankful for the circumstances. We can grieve and still be thankful. We can hurt and still be thankful. We can be angry at sin and still be thankful toward God. That is what the Bible calls a “sacrifice of praise” (Hebrews 13:15). Giving thanks to God keeps our hearts in the right relationship with Him and saves us from a host of harmful emotions and attitudes that will rob us of the peace God wants us to experience (Philippians 4:6–7).
Contributed!