“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Given that last Monday was Blue Monday, I thought that today I would encourage some thanksgiving to raise our spirits. I am so grateful for our fellowship at St John’s and for all that God is doing in us and through us. Ali and I are also so grateful for your generosity over Christmas and the gifts we received. (We are particularly looking forward to enjoying using the National Trust passes.) I am also so grateful to all who contributed to our services over Christmas, particularly our musicians. We are so blessed to have so many gifted and dedicated artists at St John’s. Let’s use this week to express our gratitude to others as well as to God.
On the next two Fridays we are giving thanks for two significant people in the life of St John’s – Paul Scott and Olleen Highfield. During both services there will be opportunities to share memories and give personal thanks for them and I want to encourage you all to consider what you might share in those moments. My hope is that both services will spur us on to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10) as we are inspired by those who have gone to glory before us.
It is always good to remember that “in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another” (Romans 12) and that each of us bring unique giftings and contributions that make the church such an awesome place. Why not spend some time today thanking God for our church and the individuals within it.
In Christ
Mark
