Wednesday Word: Thanksgiving Sermon

This is my annual Thanksgiving service sermon where I normally give thanks to everyone who has participated in the life of the church in some way; everyone from the Altar Guild to those who participate in our Youth Ministries. I give thanks to all them, because without them, without you all, I wouldn't be here. You all make this place what it is. You all make this place a special, and giving, and worshipful, and reaching out to those around us kind of place. This is a good place to be. And for that I give thanks and praise, especially on this Eve of Thanksgiving.

But tonight there is a little more that I am thankful for. You may have heard that I was in the hospital for a little surgical procedure on my back to hopefully correct the problems I've been suffering with all my life. And that whole time I was in the hospital I was thankful for the surrounding love that this community upheld me.

As I came out of surgery and was in PACU – Post Anesthesia Care Unit – and writhing in pain, the nurse asked me, “On a scale of 1 to 10, how bad is your pain?” I yelled, “250!!” It hurt. But I eventually got through it.

That first there, while trying to sleep – because PACU is not a quiet place – there was one nurse in particular that stood out. She wasn't assigned to me and had other duties, but I heard her voice. And her voice had a striking similarity to Tracey Happel. And when she talked it gave me some comfort. Because in some way, that voice that was not Tracey but which sounded an awful lot like Tracey, reminded me of this place. And that voice reminded me of the love and support of you all.

I can't say that it eased the pain, but it certainly elevated the level of comfort. That, along with the number of cards we have received, phone calls, and notifications and updates from Karla tellig me someone is in the hospital but don't worry because “we've got this, you just rest,” continually remind me of the love and support of this place.

On this eve of Thanksgiving, I am extremely thankful and grateful for this community.

In tonight's gospel, people are following Jesus because he fed them. This comes right after one of the feeding of the multitude stories. The people pursued him because he gave them food. He's trying to get them to understand that that is not the purpose here – there's a deeper purpose. And that deeper purpose is this: I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

We not only work for the bread that feeds us physically, but we work for the bread that feeds us spiritually. It is in places like this where we are fed. It is in this community and this communion where we share the body and blood of Christ that we can come together and are unified. And that is something to be thankful for.

So however you have been touched by this community, give thanks for that. And I will continue to give thanks and praise for the love and support you have shown me and my wife during this particular time.

This is a good place. Give thanks and praise always.

Amen.