Saturday, November 21, 1998

Thanksgiving expresses relationship to God

By LORETTA FULTON

Senior Staff Writer

The giving of thanks is the most responsible thing we ever do, the most responsive, the most creative. It is our reply to God the Giver.

Those words from a small book, Thanks be to God, lie at the heart of thanksgiving, whether with a small "t" or a capital "T" as Americans will know it next Thursday.

From the Psalmists to the Pilgrims at the First Thanksgiving to Grandpa saying the blessing over a fat turkey, made even fatter with Grandma's dressing, thanksgiving is an essential expresssion in the human experience.

The author of Thanks be to God, Robert N. Rodenmayer, noted in his preface that thanksgiving is at the heart of the Christian faith, as with other religious expressions.

"From the earliest times a prayer of thanksgiving is the form in which the church -- the body of the faithful -- expresses its relationship to God," Rodenmayer wrote.

No one would argue that the participants in America's First Thanksgiving in the fall of 1621 had much to thank God for. Only half of Plymouth Colony had survived the devastating winter of 1620.

In the spring of 1621, two Native Americans helped the colonists learn how to survive the strange land, and with a plentiful harvest in the fall of 1621, they had much to celebrate.

"Thanks be to God" may well have been the first words spoken at the First Thanksgiving. Virginia S. Harris, chairman of the Christian Science board of directors, which publishes the Christian Science Monitor, says the "Thanksgiving grace" has become the most popular of American prayers.

For those who find it hard to express a verbal thanks at Thanksgiving, Harris offers this suggestion: "One approach to saying Thanksgiving grace might be to begin in silence and to end in shared words of blessing."

Who better to share words of blessing than clergy, so several local ministers were asked to tell us some things they are most grateful for.

Perhaps their shared "words of blessing" will spur us to make our own list. Thanks be to them...and Thanks be to God.

-- Roz Thomas, Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest: I am grateful for Abilene, the community in which I live; the Church of the Heavenly Rest, Episcopal, the congregation in which I worship and work; the people I love and with whom I travel through this life.

For these things, along with faith, hope, wonder, peace, the desire to learn, and the opportunity to serve...I give thanks to God every day.

-- Mark Hewitt, The Mission: I am first thankful for my salvation and the special love God has for me. I am very thankful for him blessing our ministries, Love and Care and The Mission.

I am so thankful for every volunteer that has come to help and serve in these two ministries. Without God sending volunteers it would be impossible to make it.

And at last I am thankful to be able to help serve the homeless and less fortunate.

-- Sister Dolores Siebenmorgen, Holy Family Catholic Church: I am just thankful for God's love for me and his love for each of us, his love shown through others.

Recently as I was looking at trees of different colors and listening to classical music on the car radio, "I thought I was in heaven."

-- Mike Schirle, Heritage Baptist Church: Paul writing to the Thessalonians tells us, "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

As I reflect on this Thanksgiving season I am extremely thankful for a church that allows me to be "The Primary Vision Caster," providing a direction for the Heritage Baptist Church family.

Our church is filled with wonderful, exciting families that truly want to make a difference with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They have not only bought into the Vision, they have helped enhance the vision of our church. Our church has seen over 100 baptisms in 1998, mostly attributed to a great group of people that want to make an eternal impact in Abilene. For all this I am extremely grateful and thankful.

-- Jim Pitts, Westminster Presbyterian Church: Thanksgiving means family gathered around a big oak table enjoying God, each other, and good food.

This picture reminds me of all the people in Abilene during the last two years who have become my friend and through whom God has richly blessed me.

-- Michael Patterson, Wylie Baptist Church: I am thankful for a long list of good people and the things of life. But above, beyond, and before all this, I am thankful for the free gift of God's unmerited, undeserved favor, God's grace.

This is an amazing thing.