Summary of GRATEFUL FOR COMMITMENT

Sunday Lesson on November 18, 2007 * Reverend John Strickland

Bible Verses: Mt. 5: 21 -26; Ec. 9: 7; Lu. 15: 18 -24; Mal. 3: 10 -12; Jn. 11: 38 -44.

Today is our second Sunday of our annual commitment/pledge campaign. We do not believe in giving until it hurts. Rather, we believe in giving until it feels good. I want to praise this congregation highly. You give more than any other church I have served. You have made strong commitments to this ministry and you have honored those commitments. Thank you. I am honored to serve as your minister.

Let’s speak about the holiday of Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony gave thanks with the Native Americans hundreds of years ago. Our first president, George Washington called for a day of thanksgiving. Other presidents also called for such an observance. Canada also observes a national day of thanksgiving. The ancient Hawaiians observed an entire season of thanksgiving, approximately 4 months. Now that’s the way to celebrate thanksgiving! The ancient Hawaiians had three steps to their thanksgiving: cleansing, celebration and giving gifts to the god Lono. I want us to discuss those three idea and add a fourth, which I am calling “The Unity Twist”. 1. Cleansing: Many spiritual traditions include ‘cleansing’. One of the meanings of baptism is cleansing. I believe cleansing on the metaphysical level means forgiving and asking for forgiveness. It also means ‘making amends’. One of the noblest acts we can do is to make amends to someone we have harmed. We own our misdeed and we do something to make it up to the other person, but only if making up does not cause further harm to the other person. Making amends prepares the soul to experience the good that God and the universe have in store for us. 2. Celebration: Many religions have lost the sense of joy and celebration. Somehow they believe that fun is bad. Just the opposite is true: If we are not having fun, we are not doing it right! But the fun does need to be wholesome. When the Prodigal Son returned home, the father ordered a big celebration. I think the ancient Hawaiians had it right. Thanksgiving needs to be a season, not just a day. And it needs to include celebration. 3. Gifts to God: We need to acknowledge God as the Source of all our good. There is no better way than giving a portion back to the institution(s) where we get our spiritual nourishment. Do you realize that God does not need our tithes or offerings? God is already complete. But we need to include God in all areas of our lives. One of the scariest for a lot of people is in the area of finances. I say, let’s include God in finances and every other area of our lives. 4. The Unity Twist: Unity teaches giving thanks before we see the demonstration or miracle. The Unity twist is that we teach living life from an attitude of gratitude. That means we give thanks even if we never see evidence of the demonstration. The happiest, most fulfilled people I know are the ones who give thanks for every day, for every breath, for everything that comes their way, even those things which seem bad to the human mind. If we know we are one with God, we know that life is a precious gift, and ultimately God will find a way to bless us in every situation. We live from an attitude of gratitude.

Our gratitude creates the space in consciousness for God to rush in and bless us!

Summary of GRATEFUL FOR COMMITMENT

Sunday Lesson on November 18, 2007 * Reverend John Strickland

Bible Verses: Mt. 5: 21 -26; Ec. 9: 7; Lu. 15: 18 -24; Mal. 3: 10 -12; Jn. 11: 38 -44.

Today is our second Sunday of our annual commitment/pledge campaign. We do not believe in giving until it hurts. Rather, we believe in giving until it feels good. I want to praise this congregation highly. You give more than any other church I have served. You have made strong commitments to this ministry and you have honored those commitments. Thank you. I am honored to serve as your minister.

Let’s speak about the holiday of Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony gave thanks with the Native Americans hundreds of years ago. Our first president, George Washington called for a day of thanksgiving. Other presidents also called for such an observance. Canada also observes a national day of thanksgiving. The ancient Hawaiians observed an entire season of thanksgiving, approximately 4 months. Now that’s the way to celebrate thanksgiving! The ancient Hawaiians had three steps to their thanksgiving: cleansing, celebration and giving gifts to the god Lono. I want us to discuss those three idea and add a fourth, which I am calling “The Unity Twist”. 1. Cleansing: Many spiritual traditions include ‘cleansing’. One of the meanings of baptism is cleansing. I believe cleansing on the metaphysical level means forgiving and asking for forgiveness. It also means ‘making amends’. One of the noblest acts we can do is to make amends to someone we have harmed. We own our misdeed and we do something to make it up to the other person, but only if making up does not cause further harm to the other person. Making amends prepares the soul to experience the good that God and the universe have in store for us. 2. Celebration: Many religions have lost the sense of joy and celebration. Somehow they believe that fun is bad. Just the opposite is true: If we are not having fun, we are not doing it right! But the fun does need to be wholesome. When the Prodigal Son returned home, the father ordered a big celebration. I think the ancient Hawaiians had it right. Thanksgiving needs to be a season, not just a day. And it needs to include celebration. 3. Gifts to God: We need to acknowledge God as the Source of all our good. There is no better way than giving a portion back to the institution(s) where we get our spiritual nourishment. Do you realize that God does not need our tithes or offerings? God is already complete. But we need to include God in all areas of our lives. One of the scariest for a lot of people is in the area of finances. I say, let’s include God in finances and every other area of our lives. 4. The Unity Twist: Unity teaches giving thanks before we see the demonstration or miracle. The Unity twist is that we teach living life from an attitude of gratitude. That means we give thanks even if we never see evidence of the demonstration. The happiest, most fulfilled people I know are the ones who give thanks for every day, for every breath, for everything that comes their way, even those things which seem bad to the human mind. If we know we are one with God, we know that life is a precious gift, and ultimately God will find a way to bless us in every situation. We live from an attitude of gratitude.

Our gratitude creates the space in consciousness for God to rush in and bless us!