Summary: This evening I would like to thank God not only for the things he has given, which we should all be grateful for, but I would like to thank God for those people that He uses to bless this congregation.

How Can I Say Thanks

Rudyard Kipling’s writings not only made him famous but also brought him a fortune. A newspaper reporter came up to him once and said, "Mr. Kipling, I just read that somebody calculated that the money you make from your writings amounts to over one hundred dollars a word.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a one hundred-dollar bill and gave it to Kipling, saying, “Here’s a one hundred dollar bill, Mr. Kipling. Now you give me one of your hundred dollar words.” Rudyard Kipling looked at the money, put it in his pocket and said, "Thanks!"

Well, the word "thanks" is certainly a one hundred dollar word. In fact, I would say it is more like a million-dollar word. It’s a small word but it has a powerful meaning. It might only have six letters but it gets across a message that few other words are capable of achieving. When that little word is missing, we feel it deeply.

This evening I would like to thank God not only for the things he has given, which we should all be grateful for, but I would like to thank God for those people that He uses to bless this congregation.

I want to thank God for the people of this church who have a desire to stand upon the Word of God and bring glory to God’s holy name. I thank God for the people of this church that you do not hinder me from preaching the whole counsel of God, week by week. I am so grateful for the support you give this church and your participation in the different planned events of this congregation.

I want to thank God for the council that have been elected by this church. I thank God for the desire that they have to do God’s work, in God’s way, to the glory of our Heavenly Father. I thank God for the council’s leadership and their desire to do their best work for God in this congregation.

I thank God for the evangelism committee and for the programs they have put together to win souls for Christ and lead people to this congregation. I thank God for their direction in reaching out as well as reaching in for Christ.

I thank God for the education committee of this congregation; the tremendous work that they have taken on in this church to develop, implement and promote the study and a learning of the word of God. I thank God for each and every teacher that takes on the responsibility of leading, the young or not so young, souls to grow in their most holy faith. I am grateful to God for all of the teaching that takes place in this congregation, the teaching among men, women, youth and little children. I thank God for the energy and time that the leadership and teachers have given in the development of the teaching ministry at Peace Free Lutheran Church.

I thank God for the finance committee that takes on the tremendous responsibility of dealing with the finances of this congregation. I thank God for the money counters and their honesty and trustworthiness to our congregation. I thank God for those men and women who supervise the handling and banking of God’s money in this church.

I praise God for the parish life committee and the wonderful fellowship activities that they have planned and organized so that we as members of this church could get to know the Lord and each other that much better. I am also very thankful for the organization and all the food events we have in this congregation. I thank God for their dedication and willingness to serving this congregation.

I praise God for the property committee who has done such a marvelous job of keeping this building in tip top running order; for all who have kept up the grounds and the equipment of this congregation. I thank God for our janitor who week by week comes in and cleans up after us and makes the building look so prepared for God’s work.

I praise God for the social concerns committee who are a source of wonderful help to those who need it. I thank the Lord that they are willing to collect clothes, food or financial help to encourage those that experience difficulty. I am so grateful to God for the willingness of so many that are on the Helping Hands Committee who give of their time and energy and resources to help those within our congregation that have great need. I am thankful to God that they have become the voice of the Peace Free Lutherans position on abortion and crisis pregnancy. I am thankful for this committee’s effort to support any disaster relief program or service project that our church needs to be involved in.

I am grateful to God for our stewardship committee whose sole desire is to see our church go forward as a place where each one of us can propagate the proper use of our time, our money, and our abilities. I am grateful for their wisdom as they share with us and encourage us to share our benevolence with those organizations that stand for the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and for those individuals that want to grow in their most holy faith. I am grateful for the outreach ministries of Peace Free Lutheran, Via De Christo, Torch and Kairos.

I thank God for the worship committee and their activity in the planning of our worship services throughout the year. I thank God for our music program and how God uses music to encourage each and every heart. I thank the Lord for our ushering staff, our lay readers, our communion preparation and distribution, the work of the altar, the acolytes, the greeters, and for the planning and preparation of any special program we have within this congregation. I am especially grateful for our organists and pianists as they lead us in meaningful worship. I am so grateful to God for our prayer chairman, who comes, many times alone and leads us in prayer. I am grateful for those who willing work at the audio and video station and the great job they do.

I rejoice thanking God for our youth committee and our youth director. I am grateful for how they have involved our young people in the work of Christ and provided for their spiritual growth and nurture and how they encourage Christian fellowship among our young people. I am grateful for the time that our directors take to be with the young people and to be an example to them teaching them what the Christian life is all about. I am grateful for all the opportunities that we give our youth to involve themselves in the life of this church and in the life of this community. I am also very grateful through cooperation with another committee that we can keep our young people who are away at college or in the service connected to our congregation.

I am very grateful for the steering committee and their work of planning and building and working to accomplish the great task of repairing and renovating the PCC building. I’m grateful for their energy and expertise in taking on a huge task and seeing it through.

I also thank God for the board of deacons who have been a spiritual encouragement to me and to many others within this congregation. I thank God that we have gathered together a group of deacons that are willing to pray and care for the individuals of this congregation who are hurting or have a need. I thank God they are willing to pray at any time and assist me as your pastor through prayer and encouragement.

I also want to thank God for the group of ladies that get together to sew quilts and lap blankets from this church. I am so thankful that these blankets are being given to the mission field and those who have that need as an act of kindness, compassion and love. I also want to say thank you to every single member that is on the prayer chain that we can call upon you at any time and know that you will take a moment to pray and to seek God’s face for whomever we bring before you.

I thank God for the secretary that God has provided to the office of this congregation. I thank God that she is so willing to share her faith with anyone who comes in as well as accomplish the wonderful work of helping this congregation to remain organized. I am thankful for the gifts that God has given her and her willingness, her energy, her wisdom and her grace.

I am so grateful for the wisdom that I have received from the former pastors of this congregation. I sense the continual prayer of both pastors and their wives for the work that God has called me to do here at Peace Free Lutheran.

I also want to take time to thank my Heavenly Father for the wisdom and patience and encouragement and help that I have received from my wife. I thank God for my kids and grandkids for their love and the joy they have brought to my heart.

With all my heart I believe we are a people & a nation that has truly been blessed by God. And of all those who "give thanks to Him & praise His name" we here at Peace Free Lutheran should be first in line to honor and lift up our Thanksgiving to Him!

But the most important person that each of us should be grateful for is our Savior Jesus Christ for the grace and the mercy that we have been given because of the work He did on the cross of Calvary. He gave His life and rose from the dead to secure for us forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. Do you know this wonderful Savior? Is He living in your heart today? May I encourage you to invite Jesus our Savior into your heart and life today.

God has showered His blessings upon this church through many individuals week after week. This Thanksgiving let us not only give thanks for what we receive but also from whom we receive it. Happy Thanksgiving!