904 Washington St SE, Olympia, WA 98501
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Hard to believe, but we are entering the last two months of 2025. This month of November signals and presents us with some significant opportunities within our congregational spiritual journey for formation, and growth.
A quick overview:
November 1st is All-Saints Day, a time for us to pause, remember, pray and give thanks for significant people in our lives who are now in God’s loving and eternal presence. Whether spouses, significant family members, and/or people who were part of your spiritual awakening, formation, inspiration, etc., this day is a day of acknowledgement that we do not walk alone or pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps or any other hyper-individualistic mythology we sometimes get trapped in.
Thanksgiving is late this year, as it falls on Thursday, November 27th. This “holiday” is not a religious one, but it is also more than just football, turkey and leftovers. For those of us who follow the ways of Christ, thankfulness, is to be a regular part of our prayer life. We acknowledge the blessings, the people, the Spirit-induced surprises we encounter daily. As the Apostle Paul reminded the community of Christ-followers in Colossae, above, “cultivate thankfulness.”
Lastly, this November begins our Advent journey together as we get ready, prepare, anticipate, and yes, sing, for the coming gift of hope, peace, joy, and love, wrapped in swaddling cloth and lying in a manger. Advent begins on Sunday, November 30th, this year. As we participate in the story of the Christ child’s arrival and birth, we open ourselves up once again to be reminded, renewed, and yes, even changed by this story of Emmanuel, God with us! As we move into these last few months, let us “cultivate a spirit of thankfulness” for God’s presence, unfathomable grace and a mysterious, abiding love, that does not forsake us, ever.
Remember:
You are made in God’s image!
You are enough in God’s eyes!
You are deeply, deeply loved!
So, give thanks!
Blessings and Joy!
Humble over Hype!
Pastor Mark
So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment.
Never be without it.
Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.
Colossians 3: 12—17
The Message
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