What word comes to you when you think of the month of November? Mine are “Thank you, Lord.”
At the dawn of the year 2021, I hoped coronavirus would be gone. I thought the day would truly be coming when I threw my face shield away at the worship service on June 13th. But it didn’t take too long to wear it again. Now? I don’t know when it will end. I don’t even know if the coronavirus will be gone. Probably, we should live with it just like we live with flu.
This year has been a challenging year. I have not been taught how to do ministry in the pandemic. For every situation I faced, I had to find answers by myself. Thanks be to God for our re-opening/relaunching task force. We have worked together and God has led us this far. And faithfulness and support from all the members of Aldersgate Church has kept our church alive. Thank you all! We’ve been blessed.
So I look forward to the celebration of Thanksgiving. I hope you do too. God has been good to us. I want to share with you the words from Paul to the people of faith in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, The Message):
“Be cheerful no matter what;
pray all the time;
thank God no matter what happens.
This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.”
November is a busy month for Aldersgate Church. Let me briefly talk about three events.
Stewardship/Pledge Campaign – October 24th, November 7th and 14th
The theme is “Stewardship Is Heart Work.” Moses said to the Israelites, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5, GNT)
The heart matters to God. Listen to the heartbeat of your faith. Do you feel the heartbeat of God in your heartbeat? His love in your heartbeat? It’s time to make a commitment to God and God’s church for 2022. Let us respond to the blessings from God and make the heart of Aldersgate Church stronger so that we can touch the heart of other people with the heartbeat of God. For details, please read the article about Stewardship Campaign.
Thanksgiving Sunday Service – November 21st
Let us gather together and give thanks to God for all the blessings we have received from Him: “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come…”
Hanging of the Greens Service – November 28, combined service at 10:00 AM (one service only)
Advent 2021 begins on November 28th with a service of the Hanging of the Greens.
Blessings,