Preparation for Thanksgiving and Advent

I wanted to share with you some scriptures that came from our inserts for our bulletins called Taking Faith Home. Today the scriptures came from Acts and how the first Christians cared for the needy. As I was reading these scriptures, I was also reading about how this Thanksgiving is going to be a challenge for many families who face lay offs, loss of discretionary money, and foreclosures. There are already even here in Nebraska an increase in people needing help with food. This is especially hard this time of year for families with children to not have enough for even a turkey dinner or to enjoy the time of year but find it instead full of anxiety and fears.

The scriptures are the following:

Acts 2:42-47
41-42That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers.
43-45Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person's need was met.
46-47They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.


·Acts 4:32-35
32-33The whole congregation of believers was united as one—one heart, one mind! They didn't even claim ownership of their own possessions. No one said, "That's mine; you can't have it." They shared everything. The apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Master Jesus, and grace was on all of them.
34-35And so it turned out that not a person among them was needy. Those who owned fields or houses sold them and brought the price of the sale to the apostles and made an offering of it. The apostles then distributed it according to each person's need.

It was interesting as we had discussed in our bible study how difficult it can be to let go of our possessions and focus instead on our relationship to God and to one another. We were reading from the Gospel of John chapter 17. We discussed some of the efforts many are doing to try to make this Thanksgiving truly be one of thanksgiving for those who have faced difficult times. There have been many examples in the news about people coming together to provide dinners for families and even a time to gather as a community to share with one another.

I do feel it is important to celebrate with family and to have a common meal with one another. At the same time, we need to remember those who have little to nothing. I would challenge us to take some of what we would spend on ourselves and to donate a portion of that to a charity of your choice or to the Salvation Army or Open Door Mission and even to the Tri-Community pantry, Together, Inc. There are many whose Thanksgiving could be one of joy rather than one of hunger.