In All Things Be Thankful

“Give thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:20
Back during the dark days of 1929, a group of ministers in the Northeast gathered to discuss how they should conduct their Thanksgiving Sunday services. Things were about as bad as they could get, with no sign of relief. The bread lines were depressingly long, the stock market had crashed, and the term Great Depression seemed an apt description for the mood of the country. Some of the ministers thought they should only lightly touch upon the subject of Thanksgiving in deference to the human misery all about them. After all, what was there to be thankful for? But one of the pastors rallied the group. This was not the time, he suggested, to give mere passing mention to Thanksgiving, just the opposite. This was the time for the nation to get matters in perspective and thank God for blessings always present, but perhaps unnoticed due to intense hardship.

Isn’t that true? The most intense moments of thankfulness are not found in times of plenty, but when difficulties abound. Think of the Pilgrims that first Thanksgiving. Half their number dead, harsh conditions threatened the rest, but still there was thanksgiving to God. Their gratitude was not for something but in something. It was a thankfulness in God who, despite our current circumstances, continues to bless us in so many ways and especially with his love and forgiveness in Christ Jesus. It was that same sense of gratitude that lead Abraham Lincoln to formally establish the first Thanksgiving Day in the midst of national civil war, when the list of casualties seemed to have no end and the very nation struggled for survival.

We must learn to be thankful or we will become bitter. This is the person who can only see the misfortune, and
fails to see all the other ways God continues to bless him. The bitter person refuses to see beyond his troubles and becomes absorbed with the question of “why me.”

We must learn to be thankful or we will become discouraged and give up. It is an inescapable tenant of Christianity that hardship will come. No one is immune, but it is God who will have the last word. In these times, ask yourself this question “if it had not been for God?” Where would you be right now, if it were not for God? Both bitterness and discouragement can lead to a loss of saving faith. Without a thankful faith in Christ Jesus we will grow arrogant and self-satisfied.

In plenty and in want, God is still God who loves and saves us in Christ Jesus, who promises to walk with us through all the ups and downs, of this life, and who promises to raise us to an eternity of life with him. Thankfulness is simply a hallmark of the Christ life.

THANKSGIVING WORSHP is Thanksgiving morning (November 24), 10:00 a.m., here at Grace.

October Giving
General Offering:    $2269.00
Sunday School:            $7.45
Food Bank:                $25.00
Mexican Orphanage: $50.00
Building Fund:           $50.00

Thank you for your Stewardship!

Ways to Serve in Worship:

USHERS: Please speak to Dick Johnson if you would like to be scheduled for ushering.

LECTORS: Angus Pratt schedules the Scripture Readers and can instruct you in the process.

THANKS

So much time and talents go into our life together here in our congregation. Many deserve thanks, but here are just a few special mentions. Our thanks to Jim Higby for building a new cabinet for our new preschool class, for installing new lights in the Sunday School hallway (it is much more inviting and bright in the hallway), and for building a cross and inlaying the cross Pastor brought back from Africa. Our thanks to Mike Galbraith for mowing and edging the lawn most every week. It helps to make our church an inviting place. Our thanks to the Board of Fellowship for the Stewardship dinner. The food was great and the room was beautiful.

A Stewardship Suggestion!

Would you like an idea for giving to the Blaine Food Bank? Jim and I would like to suggest:
Large size diapers 4, 5,or 6
Peanut butter
“ensure”
These are some of our larger needs that we are not meeting at present.
Of course we accept any donation—not out of date, home canned or dented– that you give to us. WE LOVE your extra garden produce.
Ask Jim or Joan if you have any questions about your local FOOD BANK.

Jim & Joan Gregory
Co-chair Stewardship
& on the Board of
Blaine Food Bank

Preschool News

Things are going well in preschool and we are keeping very busy learning our phonetics and letters. We are beginning to put three letter words together and sounding them out to “read” the word in both 4 year old classes. I love watching the kid’s expressions when they “read” their first word by themselves. Their faces light up and they feel so proud.
It’s one of the reasons I enjoy teaching this age group.
Our Little Explorers class is also doing well. We are focusing on emotions and facial expressions this month as well as drawing these facial expressions on paper. This class is also working hard on learning their phonetics and the zoo-phonics characters. They enjoy meeting with Pastor Dennis every Thursday and going into the “church”. These little ones are full of stories to share with Misty and me. They are a wonderful group of preschoolers. This month we are celebrating two special holidays: Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving. We are making poppy pins once again for Veteran’s Day (this was a big hit last year with many kids wearing their pins year long). We are also making some fun crafts for Thanksgivings as well. Our favorite cooking project is making some homemade pumpkin pie with whip cream on top.

Veterans Day has its roots in what was called Armistice Day, the day when a peace agreement was signed with Germany ending World War I. Armistice Day was established with a proclamation by President Woodrow Wilson which reads in part:
“Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.” On June 1, 1954, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day to honor all U.S. veterans.
On Veterans Day this year, let us remember and honor those men and women who gave of themselves, and let us continue to pray for our men and women currently serving in the military.

Five Kernels
The Plymouth Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving
Day in fall 1621, but by the next May, their food supply
was depleted. The harvest of 1622 was a failure, and the
Pilgrims often lived for days on just a few kernels of corn.
Amid a drought in 1623, the people sought divine
intervention. After praying for nine hours on a hot July
day, they were blessed with a two-week rainfall. Edward
Winslow wrote, “It was hard to say whether our withered
corn or drooping affections were most quickened and
revived.” The Pilgrims never went hungry again.

Start a Thanksgiving tradition by placing five kernels of
corn at each place setting. Point out a blessing that each
kernel represents. For example:

1. God loves us.
2. God provides for all our needs.
3. God gives us friends, just as the Indians befriended the
Pilgrims.
4. God hears and answers our prayers.
5. God is preparing a place for us in heaven.

Then have family members share five things for which
they’re grateful.

African Cross

Pastor Dennis brought back a black ebony cross from Tanzania two years ago. It was a gift to the congregation from the bishop of the Northern Diocese of the Tanzanian Lutheran Church. Jim Higby has inlaid it into a larger cross he made and it is now hanging in the Narthex. Pastor Dennis will do a brief write-up on it that will be displayed with the cross.

ADVENT
Hanging of the Greens
Saturday, November 26, placing the Advent wreath and putting up the Christmas tree.
Women’s Christmas Program is Sunday, December 4 at 3 p.m. The women from Zion Lutheran will be our guests. Plan on attending and bring a guest.

For the Beauty of Our Church Home

The occasion to dedicate a poinsettia in honor of a
family member, friend or in memory of a dear one is upon us.
The dedication of these flowers will appear in our
December 18 Bulletin.

You may order up until November 13.
Each plant purchased is $9.50.

We would really appreciate payment at time of ordering with “Poinsettias” on the memo line of your check.

This year, November 26 is the first Sunday of Advent. The season of Advent is about Jesus, the Word, “coming.” It’s about anticipating and preparing for Christ’s arrival.

Mexican Orphanage News

Hi dear friends and family,
Well here it is fall again and I am once more planning on going to the Orphanage in Morelia Mexico. This year I have many new dresses for the little girls. I usually do not bring clothing but these dresses were too precious to pass up, plus I have had so much help making them. My sister Lori has made a total of 50 and my Sarah Circle girls and a special neighbor have all helped as well. If you go on line to dressagirlaroundtheworld.com you will see what we have been making. These adorable dresses are made out of pillow cases. You cut it and sew it and trim it and all of a sudden you have a beautiful dress for a little girl who might never get a new dress. Plus they were fun to make and many of them come with a dolly in the pocket, also made by the wonderful women in my life.
As most of you know I go to this orphanage once a year with my cousin Mary and a good friend Melanie. These 2 gals have done a huge amount of work raising monies for this orphanage this year and when they get to the orphanage they work, work, work. Last year I broke my knee and did not get to go but between these 2 gals and another cousin, Glenda they had everything covered. (I feel this will be my last year going) I have been there each year except 2010 for about 18 years and this year I will be 77 so I think it is time. Let me tell you it has been a very hard decision to make. I love those kids so much but of course I will not stop loving them and will continue to serve on the Board of the El Buen Pastor fund.
I am once again looking for funds to take with me. This has been another hard year for people financially. I understand this and please know if you cannot give I totally understand. If you can it would be so helpful. Please know that not one cent of what you give goes to anything but these kids. We have no over head in our El Buen Pastor Fund and we have a 501 C 3 number so we send out tax receipts in January. Please know we try to be good stewards of the funds you send.
We have several of our children in special classes this year, older kids in classes to help them find work when they get out of the orphanage, a couple of kids who are slow learners or have a physical disability. One young man who we found a sponsor for had lived at the orphanage since he was 5 and now at 25 needs some help with extra classes.
On the 16th of October my Sarah Circle gals had a bake sale. This is a wonderful thing that they do as all the monies go towards the orphanage.
If you would care to send a donation, please send it to me, Hazel Sibillia 4751 BB/Lynden Rd. Blaine, WA 98230, or to my church, Grace Lutheran Church, PO Box 1646, Blaine WA 98231-1646. Please earmark it to the El Buen Pastor Fund.
Even if you cannot give at this time, I covet your prayers for these children and for a safe trip for the three of us who are going.
I remain His servant,
Hazel Sibillia

A Spirit of Adoption

My youngest sister was adopted, as were many of my childhood friends. When I married a man with a son whose birth mother had died, I adopted the child. Later my husband and I had a son together.

We, too, have been adopted — by God. When God looks at us, he sees people who are as much his children as Jesus is. God loves us as he loves Jesus, and we are equal heirs with Jesus to God’s gift of eternal life. As Paul wrote, we “have received a spirit of adoption … we are children of God, and if children, then … heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:15-17, NRSV).

When someone refers to my oldest son as my stepson, I’m momentarily taken aback; never do I think of him that way. Nor do we think of our boys as half-brothers. Though biologically half-siblings, legally and in terms of our parental love and responsibility, they’re full-fledged brothers because each is fully our child.

What a blessing, not only to have these boys as children but also to receive, through them, a clear reminder of the right of all of us to “be called children of God; [for] that is what we are” (1 John 3:1, NRSV).

Sunday School News

November is such a wonderful month, which brings prayer to our minds and on our lips as we think of Thanksgiving. What are we truly thankful for—is it mere possessions or does it go deeper than that? As a Lutheran I know we are thankful for our religion and all that Martin Luther did for it and the reformation that he brought about. We’ve talked about praying for our Sunday School children and their parents, for each other and our families. Let us not forget to pray for our Church, our Pastor, our Church Council and Board Members. We want them to remain strong in faith and able to do God’s work in keeping our church going strong and in the right direction. Pray for our Sunday School Teachers and VBS Teachers that the Holy Spirit will prepare them to be good teachers. By all means pray for yourself, that the Holy Spirit will fill you up and prepare you to work in His church. Yes, we are thankful for food, clothing, homes and families, but even more importantly we are thankful for Jesus who brought us into God’s family. Thanksgiving is such a wonderful time of the year. Lets make it last all year long!

We are also gearing up for the next great time of year—Christmas. Christmas play parts are being given out and the children will be learning some songs and then practicing their parts. If they have speaking parts please help them memorize them. Please bring your children to Sunday School every Sunday.

Interfaith Coalition Coat Drive
a Warm Success

This fall, we provided winter coats to a greater number of people in need in Whatcom County. Thank you for donating a winter coat and bringing some much needed warmth to others this fall. Coats were distributed by volunteers to our neighbors at the Blaine Food Bank. We appreciate your commitment to this program and are humbled to experience the gratitude in words or expressions of those who benefit from your efforts.
It is so heart-warming to witness coats no longer needed by members of your congregation benefiting people in need, allowing them to spend their limited income on other basic necessities.

NEW PIANO

We have received a gift of a new baby grand piano to replace our old one. The new piano is a Schimmel, made in Germany and a much higher quality piano than our old one. We are thankful for the generosity of the donor and for the blessing it will be in our worship and congregational life.

We will have a brief dedication of the piano in a coming worship service. Our old piano is in Bellingham to be sold on consignment.

“Life Quote” from
Lutherans for Life

“One simple way you can open up opportunities to share your faith and talk about the life issues is by being friendly with those you meet in your daily life. You never know what doors the Lord will open and how He will use you!”
Kay L. Meyer, director of development for Lutherans For Life

Starting in the Middle?

The mission of Lutheran Bible Translators is to help bring people to faith in Jesus Christ. As you know, we do that by translating the New Testament into the mother tongue languages of people around the world, providing them the opportunity to read and hear about the life, death and resurrection of our Lord. But why did God send His Son to redeem us? How did the Jewish people come to live in Israel, and how and why had things changed so much by Jesus’ time? What does it mean when Matthew states that the words or actions of Jesus fulfill a prophesy? The answers, of course, can be found in the Old Testament. From the creation to Chronicles, from the Psalms to the prophets, the Old Testament tells of a living, majestic, vibrant God who worked in and through history to bring justification through His grace to fallen mankind.

Although New Testament translation is generally the focus of a language project, Old Testament portions are often translated as well. As one African gentleman said, “The story is incomplete if you start in the middle.” Translating a selection of Old Testament books helps complete the story, providing insights into New Testament imagery and history. There are additional, compelling reasons for Old Testament translation. Virtually every culture agrees that there is a god, the giver of life. Genesis gives a name to that God, showing His active involvement with humanity. The stories of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob provide common ground with Muslim groups. Old Testament culture is in many ways parallel to that of African and other countries. The importance of ancestors, the celebration of harvest festivals, the practice of the priesthood and sacrifices – all make the
people and events of the Old Testament more relatable. Rev. Tim Beckendorf, serving with the Khwe people of northern Botswana, reported the following.

As the team and I were working through Genesis 12
and the call of Abraham, someone asked where Abraham
was when God called him and told him to go to Canaan
(and where in the world was Canaan?). So, I brought out
a map that showed the travels of Abraham. Someone else
noticed Egypt on the map and asked, “Is that Egypt in the
Bible the same one that is in Africa?” I assured him that yes,
it was. The response: “Now I can believe in God! I thought
that all those places in the Bible were a different world, not
a real one.”
The book of Psalms, with its entreaties for help, praise for blessings granted, and its lyrical style, also speaks to peoples’ hearts. Bea Kun, a Klao woman of Liberia, told LBT missionary Alvina Federwitz she has always liked hearing the Psalms read in English because it sounded like music to her ears, but now, when she reads Psalms in Klao, her mother tongue, “the music has words of encouragement.” For the first time in her life she can understand the many words that made no sense to her in English. Other Old Testament books, like Jonah, can serve multiple purposes. Written in narrative style, Jonah is easy to translate. The story has a mission message, as God sends Jonah to Ninevah to preach repentance. The subsequent events – Jonah in the belly of the whale – can be transcribed into a memorable live dramatic performance that can also be filmed for presentation to groups, congregations or Sunday school classes.
The story starts in the Old Testament and is fulfilled in the New Testament in the person of Jesus Christ. From “In the beginning” to the last “Amen”, God’s Word spans the centuries and is still relevant for all people today, fortifying their understanding and faith.

New Birth
Anabelle Lileen was born on October 18, to Karmen and Anthony Terris. Congratulations!

New Members

Rick and Gladys Faulkner were received into membership on October 9. Rick by Holy Baptism and Gladys by the Rite of Adult Confirmation.