revsdd
Well-Known Member
Thanksgiving theme obviously. Used "Come, You Thankful People, Come," (Voices United) "Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart," (on the screen), "Gratitude" (More Voices) and "We Plough The Fields And Scatter" (Voices United) as the hymns. The choir sang "Sing To The Lord of Harvest" as their anthem. My colleague did children's time, using a special bouquet of wheat to introduce a Thanksgiving theme. Have to admit (as she did later to me) that the children were unusually quiet today. My sermon was a take on the saying "when life gives you lemons, turn it into lemonade." I titled it "A Lemonade Recipe." I looked at the origins of the saying, written by Elbert Hubbard, whose original version was “He picked up the lemons that fate had sent him and started a lemonade stand.” It was a reference to his friend Marshall P. Wilder - a "dwarf" who became a very successful and famous actor and author in the late 19th/early 20th century, and reflected on his experience and the experience of God's people in exile in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:1 & 4-7 from the Lectionary) as way of saying that even in adversity we need to remember to be thankful for what we have, because the alternative is a life of grieving, lamentation or bitterness - but no joy. The message seemed well received. Service was good and had a great atmosphere.
For those interested:
A Lemonade Recipe
For those interested:
A Lemonade Recipe