Sermon:  "Thankful Hearts Gather Here"
Date:   November 20, 2011
Minister:  The Rev. Charles Ensley

Lesson: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

There are certain holy days that are problematic for preachers.  Christmas and Easter are among them.  They are certainly days of high and joyous celebration in the life of the Christian church; however, the Gospel lessons are always the same, and preachers must strive to be creative in thinking of something new and meaningful to say about either Jesus’ birth or his resurrection.  And after you’ve been in one place as long as I have, it is hard to think of a thing to say to a congregation that I haven’t already said to you in a previous sermon!

Thanksgiving, while a national holiday, presents much the same challenge.  The lectionary readings are always the same:  Deuteronomy 8—the Lord brings the Israelites into the Promised Land after serving as slaves in Egypt; or Luke 17—the ten lepers healed by Jesus, only one of which returns to give Jesus thanks.  What happened to the other nine?  And in our own prayer lives, I image that only one out of every ten of our prayers is one of thanks to God for something.  The other ninety percent of the time we are likely praying for someone else or for our own needs.

So as I pondered a Thanksgiving sermon theme this year, two things surfaced to influence my thoughts.  The first was our opening hymn, We Gather Together, one we selected well over a month ago so we could get the instrumental arrangement to our musicians.  The second was when we put up our Thanksgiving banners, particularly the one on the right:  Thankful Hearts Gather Here.

‘We gather together’ here in this sanctuary to worship God Sunday after Sunday.  We come for many varied reasons, some of which might apply to you on any given Sunday:  to offer God praise, to pray for a special need, to be lifted by great music, to hear God’s word read and interpreted, to offer thanks, to share fellowship with other Christians, to grow your faith, to find your faith.  But especially this Sunday, if not on others during the year, we gather here with thankful hearts.

As mentioned during the introduction to Paul’s second letter to the church at Corinth, delivered before his visit, it had as its underlying purpose an encouragement to give more in their offerings to the mother church in Jerusalem.  A comparable plea today would be to give to the church on the next level up—either to the Southern California Nevada Conference or to the national United Church of Christ.  Paul begins by using an agrarian image, one first century Christians could understand.  If you plant only a little, you’ll reap only a little.  If you plant more, you’ll get more in return.  As a result, “You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the need of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God.”  (2 Cor. 9:11-12) 

That got me thinking of some instances of charitable acts done by members of this church and the thanksgiving their acts provide for others, while doubtless giving a sense of thanksgiving in their own hearts.

Someone periodically hits Costco and drops off here packages of socks and T-shirts.  They know where to purchase large quantities of those little bars of soap motels use.  They just appear in the office.  When I made a delivery of these items earlier this month to the Multiservice Center for the Homeless on the Westside, the social worker exclaimed, “Oh, thank goodness; we’re all out of soap!”  I have been referring to the donor as “The Sock Fairy,” but maybe I’d better change it to “Soap Fairy!”

Thankful hearts gather here.

Last week, I was copied on the receipt a church member mailed to Christian Outreach in Action for food items this family purchased for COA’s Thanksgiving dinner next Saturday.  Thirty turkeys, 30 pounds of potatoes, 36 pounds of cranberry sauce, 30 pounds of butter, 500 dinner rolls, 6 bags of marshmallows, 8 pounds of brown sugar, 15 pounds of cream of mushroom soup.  I get hungry just reading the list!  Well over a thousand dollars of food.  Why does this family do it every year?  Out of a sense of their own blessings, and wanting to give back to others.

Thankful hearts gather here.

In addition to all the food you’ve brought this morning—to be sorted by our youth after worship and delivered tomorrow morning to Woman to Woman and Centro Shalom—a Brownie troop from Lowell Elementary School walked over Friday afternoon and brought about seven bags of food.  I explained to those second-graders about our annual food drive, where it goes, who it helps.  After they brought their food up and placed it here in the chancel, I had the girls sit in the choir chairs and we said a little prayer of thanks for their gifts, for their thoughtfulness and generosity, and a prayer for those who would receive the food. 

We give, because we have the means, and others need it.  In Jesus’ prediction of the Last Judgment (Matthew 25:31-40), he said, “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink…”  The righteous will question, “Lord, when was it we saw you hungry and gave you food, and thirsty and gave you something to drink…?”  He answered, “Just as you did it to the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”

Thankful hearts gather here.

I look at the touching needs of the families our Missions Commission has selected for our congregation to “adopt” this Christmas.  I’ve looked at the posters that are now up in the Concert Hall and pulled some of the 3x5 cards to look at the families’ needs.  It truly tugged at my heart to see the necessities they need which we all take for granted:  beds, sheets, towels, pots and pans, lamps, clothing.  But I know this congregation will once again respond abundantly in generosity.  Jesus also said, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing…”  More than any of the gifts we will receive this Christmas, the gifts we give will be truly appreciated by them.  So many of our church families who have made deliveries in Christmases past have told me how the recipients’ eyes light up, and how much their own hearts are warmed as they see their gratitude.

Thankful hearts gather here.

We help people we will never know throughout the year.  You respond to special appeals for One Great Hour of Sharing and Neighbors in Need.  You purchase Third World Handarts, and earlier this month supported Church World Service, Heifer International and Habitat for Humanity with over two thousand dollars.  When national or international disasters occur, you respond to a special appeal.  “Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”

Thankful hearts gather here.

It doesn’t matter how large or how small the gift or response is.  The 15th century medieval monk and writer Thomas à Kempis wrote:  “Be thankful for the smallest blessing, and you will deserve to receive greater.  Value the least gifts no less than the greatest, and simple graces as especial favors.  If you remember the dignity of the Giver (note:  that’s a capital G Giver), no gift will seem small or mean, for nothing can be valueless that is given by the most high God.”

This congregation has always been generous, whether in ways large or small in meeting special needs, and especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.”

Truly thankful hearts gather here.  For that, I am most grateful for all of you.