Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

Give thanks in all things….St. Paul exhorts us. "And whatever you do, in work or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus; giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Colossians 3:17). Our actual work – all we do – should become a living embodiment of thankfulness each day, in all times and all ways.

On some days, we know, this is easier than on others. How do we give thanks as we stoop in the hot sun to change the tire on a bike that’s desperately needed to transport the baby in a basket to the health clinic? How do we give thanks as we walk through shredded walls torn away by a tornado? How do we give thanks when the rent is due in just three days and our pen calculates a big empty 0 in that checkbook?

And sometimes we only can, and we only do, because someone else is alongside us, ready to serve too. In thankfulness, we connect to the One through whom we are never alone, and in whom we have a family of faith carrying us forward.

In thankfulness, we connect to the gifts with which God has already blessed us, and with the mission to which God is calling us.

This Thanksgiving, Episcopal Relief & Development is grateful for the gift of your support. Thank you for enabling us to carry out our mission of helping to heal a hurting world.

This blog post is reprinted with permission from Episcopal Relief & Development. It was originally published on November 22, 2011 on the Episcopal Relief & Development blog.