A blessed Thanksgiving: Thanking God for countless blessings

A Message of  Thanks from Linda Valentine, Office of the General Assembly

November 21, 2013″ Greetings to members of the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board, mid council executives, and friends,

Although Thanksgiving is not an official day on our liturgical calendar, it is nevertheless a significant holiday for Christians, as we humbly seek to give thanks to God for the countless blessings we have received.

Among the blessings for which I give thanks to God are these that I have recently encountered in my daily ministry:

  • For the faithful witness and service of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance: I thank God for the many compassionate volunteers and donors who are offering life-giving relief to the people and communities affected by Typhoon Haiyan.
  • For the anonymous donor who has just given $1 million to the Presbyterian Mission Agency toward addressing the root causes of poverty, sharing the good news of Christ’s love, and working for reconciliation among cultures of violence: I thank God for the impact this gift will make around the world.
  • For the participants in and leaders of the first Young Adult New Immigrant Leadership Institute: I thank God that this recent gathering was an intentional and hopeful first step in encouraging and resourcing potential future leaders in new-immigrant worshiping communities.
  • For faithful members of the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board like Steve Aeschbacher, who—in a conversation at Big Tent—shared his church’s inspiring story of outreach to at-risk youth: I thank God that now the story has been told for all to hear.
  • For the dedicated staff of the Presbyterian Mission Agency: I thank God for the abundance of gifts that they bring to their ministry and other service to the church.
  • For our mid council moderators, who gathered here earlier this month for the annual Moderators’ Conference: I thank God for their ministry, their support of our collective mission, and for their answering God’s call to lead their presbyteries and synods.
  • For all of the saints of the church, who, while no longer with us here on earth, surround us as the “great cloud of witnesses”: I give God thanks and praise for the great legacy they created and for the blessings they were and still are in our lives.

As we mark the absence of those beloved saints around our Thanksgiving tables this year—our dearly departed friends and family members—we know that they are cheering us on as we continue to run the race of faith. As we give thanks to God for all of God’s many blessings, let us today and every day be mindful of the “great cloud of witnesses” as we look to Jesus Christ, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.

Wishing you all a blessed Thanksgiving.
Faithfully yours,
Linda Valentine