FROM THE EDITOR

UH OH—THANKSGIVING

There’s a lot to love about Thanksgiving, good food being one of the mainstays, that and connecting with friends and loved ones at the same time. And the foods of that day reappearing in variations as leftovers is something I enjoy. This year Advent begins that weekend, and College Church’s Thanksgiving Eve service provides us with a service that many rank as one of their favorites. That service, followed by our Sweet Time, begins the weekend feasting. There’s also a first-ever art show in the Crossings and a carol sing there as well that weekend.

But this holiday also has an underside that can be difficult and painful for many. Whatever tensions or disappointments life has delivered can easily magnify. Family divisions can be uncomfortable challenges as families gather or not. Those who mourn may do so with great intensity on this holiday, so we do have a “surviving the holidays” edition of GriefShare.

This issue of Connections can provide somewhat of a balm for the beginning of this season’s expectations and joys and disappointments. There’s Heather Owen’s frank and delightful story on prayer. Katherine Baylis’s quietly revelatory piece on Brother Andrew. David Seaman’s discussion with David Setran on his new book and two historical paths of family life that have shaped us all. And Keith Bodger’s piece resonates with sin being like those annoying burrs of autumn. I love Jonathan Carswell’s suggestions for books to give to others. The impulse to give is always welcome, but perhaps never so much as when we consider the help we provide through the Thanksgiving Eve projects selected by our board of missions and highlighted in this issue. Wallace Alcorn’s piece puts our focus where it should be all the time, on Jesus, author and finisher. I’ll end this paragraph considering Pat Cirrincione’s tears, not of holiday disappointment, but of ultimate joy as the words of “Amazing Grace” come to eternal life as she recalls the good news coming to her the hour she first believed. Thank you, writers.

Savor these gifts from our church writers throughout November and let’s head into the holiday season with fresh perspective and an eye to the “uh ohs” that may be coming to us or those around us. Let us together guard our hearts and minds.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)

WIL TRIGGS