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Fear not, Earth! Be glad and celebrate! God has done great things.

Joel 2:21 (the Message, a modern translation of the bible by Eugene Peterson)

Friends,

Thanksgiving remains a moment of pause and wonder for me. Pause and wonder at the nature of life, in what God is doing within that life. From the changing leaves, the cooler weather, and the gathering of families of birth and choice, God in this season continues to show us all the goodness which we are being provided with. I think it is this hope which scripture, that guides our conversation today, is anchored in for the writers of Joel. Written to a community which was plagued and challenged with life and its various calamities, the book of Joel exists as a reminder for us that life in relationship with others always brings hope and renewal. Hope and renewal which for his audience was a return to life and abundance in God.

While we may not be facing a plague of locusts like the audience of Joel's melodic writing, we are facing challenges. The cost of food has never been so hard in our lifetimes, for so many, than it is today. Too many of us are facing food insecurity in one of the most amazing cities in the world. It defies logic. The challenge with food insecurity is how silent it can be in our community given the support, at least during the week. Where life is harder is on the weekends, especially for families with kids in school. If food insecurity is part of family life- weekends become something to worry about rather than celebrate because there are no school meals to help out.

But fear not, friends! God has done wonderful things in response to this plague of food insecurity. In 2012 God caused the mother daughter duo of Joanne and Emily-Anne to found Backpack Buddies, a program which seeks to address child hunger directly. Though building partnerships with schools and the wider community, they now serve over a million meals a year to kids who need it. Partnerships which need your help this thanksgiving.

Part of how I give thanks is financially, by giving a percentage of my income back to God- from whom I got it in the first place. By giving it back I get to participate in what thanksgiving actually means, by seeing just how much God can do with what I give of myself, for those who need it. And I invite you to partner with me in that act of thanksgiving again this year.

Join me by making a thankful financial gift to the parish of St. Francis, for the abundance and joy of our shared life. Our Parish Council has decided that half of our thanksgiving collection will go to the Backpack Buddies, while the other half will help us continue to grow and expand this thankful community we love so deeply. Come, friends, and give thanks on October 13th, with worship at 10 am, as we offer back to God our joyful gifts of praise, money, and presence, for all that we have been given to share with the world.

From my heart to yours, Happy Thanksgiving,

Alex+