WIC The Good News Letter
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The November Good News Letter Check out our website at www.westindependencechurch.org
FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK November is here, which means thoughts and observances are being propelled toward the Thanksgiving holiday. Even with the terrible news happening in the Middle East and in our nation, we still have so much to be thankful for. Thanksgiving observances originally came about, surprisingly, during times when being thankful could be seen as a challenge. Past Presidents Washington and Lincoln, for example, called for these observances during times when division from within our nation was at its worst. They had the utmost leadership sense to know these were actually the perfect times to encourage everyone to gather around a table for a meal, fellowship, and praise to God. Meals are one of the primary ways people are brought together. It’s been said, if you want to draw a crowd, just advertise that food will be involved! But all kidding aside, there is something very special and important about a shared meal. The central observance of remembering God’s delivering the Israelites from Egyptian slavery came through a meal, the Passover meal. Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper, a remembrance of how we are delivered from slavery to sin. Gathering around a table for a meal is meant to be about more than just fueling our bodies (or at thanksgiving stuffing our stomachs!). Whenever we gather for communion, we remember the words of the Lord who blessed, broke, and gave the bread of the meal. The words are what happened to Jesus’ body, and are meant to be our identity as His followers. We identify with God’s blessing us, being broken and given in serving His mission in the world. And because we identify with His broken body, we know that as the body of Christ we are broken in this sinful world but still equipped to show God’s love. A meal table can be a place where the values of the communion table, love amidst brokenness, can be shared. Jesus even modeled this approach, having a reputation as being a “friend of sinners” and sharing meals with them. This practice brought about a negative reaction toward him from the Pharisees, but Christ knew God’s kingdom work He was called to, and that we are called to as His followers. This Thanksgiving the opportunity exists to bring the kingdom in a similar way, by creating table fellowship at the meal. May it be a time of unity, no matter how deep the differences.
Blessings,
Pastor Ben Advent Study Pastor Ben will be leading an Advent Study during the month of December, beginning Wednesday, December 6. This study will include scriptures and questions for each week, along with the devotional book, In The Manger, by Max Lucado. Books, study guides and sign-up sheets will be available at the Welcome Center on November 19. Dates and times are: Wednesday, Dec 6 9:30am; 6:15pm Tuesday, Dec 12 -6:15pm Wednesday, Dec 13 9:30am -Wednesday, Dec 20 9:30am; 6:15pm