“O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good for His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy”(Ps. 107:1-2).

Thursday is Thanksgiving Day here in our nation. This day became an official Federal holiday in the US in 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens”, to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November.

But this was not the beginning of Thanksgiving Day here. Long before it became an official holiday, the English colonists whom we call Pilgrims celebrated days of thanksgiving to God as part of their religious observance. Our national Thanksgiving holiday really springs from the feast held in the autumn of 1621 by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag to celebrate the colony’s first successful harvest.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, let this be our prayer: Lord I thank you for who you are. I thank you for sending your Son Jesus Christ to be my Savior. Thank you for my family, my friends, my church, my occupation and all those whom you have surrounded me with so that I can develop and expand in my knowledge of you, In Jesus‘name. Amen!

SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK

1. CHOIR TO MINISTER AT CHRISTIAN UNITY CHURCH
Today, 3:00 p.m. for Singspiration. The FEA Family is
invited to come out and support and be blessed by this ministry.

2. GLOBAL & NATIONAL INTERCESSORS MEETING
Today, 5:00 p.m.

3. NO SERVICES ON WEDNESDAY

4. NO CHOIR PRACTICE

5. PRAYER HOUR
Saturday, 7:00 a.m.

6. NEXT SUNDAY
• Worship & Ministry, 9:00 a.m.

7. MEMBERS’ MEETING COMING SOON
Sunday, December 7, 2014, 6:00 p.m.

REMINDER
Christmas shoeboxes are due by December 1st. Boxes can be dropped off at the church office.

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS

• (2) Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors I – STX
• (1) Pre-school (Head Start) Teacher Assistant – STT
• (1) Project Coordinator- Transition Connection – STT
• (2) Eligibility Specialist I- STX
• (1) Contracts Administrator – STT/ STX
• (1) Claims and Hearing Investigator – STT/ STX

See the Bulletin Board or ask Office Staff for additional Activities/ Info.

HARVEST HOME

THE HYMN “COME YE THANKFUL PEOPLE, COME” IS OFTEN SUNG AT CHRISTIAN SERVICES OF THANKSGIVING. WRITTEN IN 1844 BY HENRY ALFORD, IT BEGINS WITH THANKS TO GOD FOR CROPS SAFELY GATHERED IN BEFORE WINTER. BUT IT IS MORE THAN GRATEFULNESS FOR THE BOUNTY OF THE LAND. THE HYMN ENDS BY FOCUSING ON GOD’S “HARVEST” OF HIS PEOPLE WHEN CHRIST RETURNS:

Even, so, Lord, quickly come
To Thy final harvest-home;
Gather Thou Thy people in
Free from sorrow, free from sin;
There, forever purifies,
In Thy presence to abide:
Come, with all Thine angels, come—
Raise the glorious harvest-home.

AS WE GIVE THANKS FOR MATERIAL NEEDS SUPPLIED, IT’S ESSENTIAL TO REMEMBER THAT OUR PLANS ARE UNCERTAIN AND OUR LIVES ARE A VAPOR THAT QUICKLY DISAPPEAR (JAMES 4:14). JAMES ENCOURAGES US TO BE LIKE A FARMER WAITING FOR HIS CROPS TO GROW AND MATURE. “YOU ALSO BE PATIENT. ESTABLISH YOUR HEARTS, FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD IS AT HAND” (5:8).

AS WE THANK GOD FOR HIS FAITHFUL PROVISION FOR OUR NEEDS, LET’S TURN OUR THOUGHTS TO THE PROMISED RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST. IN PATIENT EXPECTATION, WE LIVE FOR HIM AND LOOK FOR THE DAY WHEN HE WILL COME TO GATHER HIS GLORIOUS HARVEST HOME.

~*~*~*~*~

MEDIA MINISTRY

World Overcomers: WSTA 1340 AM station: Sundays at 12:30 p.m. & Tuesdays at 6:00 a.m.