Come and Give Thanks

Ten of them were healed on the road that day, and only one of them turned back.

He came back praising God out loud, knelt at Jesus’ feet, and thanked him. Luke makes sure you know what kind of man he was: a Samaritan, an outsider, the last person in that crowd you’d expect to be grateful. Jesus asks where the other nine went.

That’s the Gospel appointed for Thanksgiving Day this year, and it’s a good reading for the holiday. In Luke, gratitude looks like a man on his knees in front of Jesus, saying thank you out loud where everyone can hear it. We can do the same on Thursday.

It’s easy to take a day off, eat a good meal, and never look up long enough to notice where any of it came from. Luther’s explanation of the First Article of the Creed says that God gives us body and soul, food and drink, house and home, all of it out of pure fatherly goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in us, and that for all of it we owe God thanks and praise.

We’ll gather at 10:30am to say exactly that, sing, and give thanks to the God who crowns the year with his bounty. Then we’ll eat.

The meal starts at 11:30am and runs to 1:00pm, and it’s for everybody. Members, neighbors, people who’d otherwise spend the day on their own, and anybody who just likes turkey and pie. There’s no cost and no sign-up. If you’d like to help cover it, we’ll take a free-will offering for the Jackson Food Shelf.

Thursday, November 26
Worship at 10:30am
Community meal from 11:30am to 1:00pm
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 614 Logan Ave, Jackson

If getting out is hard, call the church office at 507-847-2856 and we’ll have a meal ready for you to pick up or bring one to your door. Leave your name, address, and phone number, and call early so we can plan the meals.

We need help too. There’s work in the kitchen and the dining room that morning, drivers to run meals out, and desserts to cut and plate. If you can give an hour or two, or if you’re a baker, call the office and we’ll put you to work.

Thanksgiving is a day for turning around and saying thank you out loud. I hope you’ll do it with us.

In Christ,

Pastor Ted