🙌It's the Friday Call to Worship!🙌

My American heart beats for turkey, dressing and pumpkin pie when the calendar turns to November. America's Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday for more than the food... but the food sure is good.

Thanksgiving dates back to 1621. One hundred Pilgrims set sail from England one year before seeking religious freedom. Winter came quickly and tragically, and half of the new colonists perished. Only 22 men, 4 women and 25 children survived. Still, the weathered Pilgrims gathered to give thanks to God and commemorate their first harvest.

Over 90 of the indigenous Wampanoag Indian tribe arrived when they heard celebratory gunshots. The Indians were wary of war, but were invited to feast with the Pilgrims instead. The Wampanoag's brought venison and their own harvest to share.

That first harvest celebration could have felt like a survivor meal as a collection of widowers tried to protect and provide, while four women attended to motherless children in a still-foreign land. They did it anyway. They still set the imperfect tables, most likely shipping barrels and grassy patches.

When the Wampanoags showed up, outnumbering them two to one, they made space for more. And it was in that moment, the moment of choosing gratitude when it still hurt... in making space when there's not enough... that I believe a motley crew of God's children tasted and saw that the Lord is good. (Psalm 34:8)

Today we have the opportunity to set the harvest table of our hearts. If you've lived through a hard winter, are counting much loss, or it seems there's just not enough to be thankful for... May I gently and humbly challenge you to do it anyway?

The call to worship today is to give thanks first. Give thanks anyway. For the Lord is good, and His love endures forever. (Psalm 136)

Listen to "Hymn of Praise/Shouts of Joy" by Harvest.