Making History

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ;

Grace to You, and Peace from God our Father, through our Lord, Jesus Christ!

It’s hard to believe, but Thanksgiving is just a few days away. Every Thanksgiving morning we drive up to my Mom and Dad’s home in Holland, Massachusetts, and celebrate the day with family and friends. We would arrive at Mom and Dad Beres’ home around 11 a.m. that day, and the Thanksgiving Dinner would be served mid-afternoon, after which we might go for a drive and visit a friend.

Whether we visited Pastor Bob or one of our other friends, the whole idea was that Thanksgiving was a time for giving thanks to God for our many blessings, but it was also a time for connecting (or re-connecting) with our family and friends. It is a time of meeting new members of our families, making new acquaintances and friends, and a time of renewing relationships and friendships that we have been blessed with over many years. My Mom and my Yiayia both taught me a little song a long time ago that said “Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold…”

We are also seeing new faces in our family here at First Congregational Church, and this would be a good time to get to know some of them. We also have people here at First Church who have been a part of this church family for a long time. God is weaving us into a mosaic of faces, gifts, talents and personalities which are unique to this church family, and which changes with every new person who becomes a part of our growing family.

With each person in our family comes a story. Some of our stories are of Church Suppers and Bazaars, Dances, Parties, Fellowship Nights, and Hymn Sings that we have enjoyed. Some of our other stories are of Weddings, Baptisms, Funerals and other family events. My ears perk up when I hear somebody saying “I remember when…” or “Do you remember when we did the…”

Some of our other stories come from the newer faces in our family. Some of these stories come from concerts, coffeehouses, other churches, and other great experiences.

The point is that as members of the same family, we can’t help but sharing our stories with one another, and together we weave the story of what God is doing here at First Congregational Church. This is history… This is His Story.

In November, let’s take advantage of each and every opportunity of connecting with the people who gather to worship with us each Sunday…and who are involved with us in the activities which take place every week. Let’s celebrate every one of our stories, old and new, and let’s gather together to praise God from whom all blessings flow.

From the Beres household and family to your household and family, may we take this time to bid each of you a safe, happy and memorable Thanksgiving.

I Bid You Peace…

Pastor Ken+