Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Walnut Hill Church Weekly Letter

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Greetings to all!

In light of the holiday, this week's letter is being sent a day early.  It is
easy to overlook Thanksgiving on the way to Christmas and New Year's
Day.  Yet, thanksgiving, or gratitude, is an important quality to nurture
and practice.  In her book, The Cup of Our Life, Joyce Rupp observes…

It is amazing, isn't it, how we can miss so much of life?  The key to
gratitude is surprise.  When we lose our sensitivity to wonder and awe,
when we simply trudge or zoom through the days, we can so easily
miss the daily gifts of life.  When we awaken to what is within us and
around us, when we savor, relish, and taste life fresh each day, our heart
holds more gratitude for our blessings.
Andrew Harvey writes…that if we were really looking at this world,
we would be moved a hundred times a day by the flowers at the side
of the road, the people we meet, by all that brings us messages of our
own goodness and the goodness of all things.  To be grateful is to
affirm goodness wherever we find it.  The problem with being grateful
is not the lack of countless blessings, the problem is with being
inattentive and unaware of these blessings.
One practice that has helped to reawaken my gratitude when my
thankfulness has grown lean is to take one of my five external senses
each day and be attentive to it.  One day I notice all the sounds that I
hear; another day I pay close attention to everything I see, etc.  Doing
this helps me move out of my tired approach to life.  I restore my
alertness to my daily gifts and begin again to see the universe as one
vast blessing.

The scripture lessons for Sun, Nov 29, the First Sunday of Advent…
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Psalm 25:1-10
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Luke 21:25-36

Sunday Conversations continue this Sun, Nov 29, 10am, in Trinity
Hall.  We continue the "Living the Questions" video discussion series.
Come, enjoy a cup of coffee, join the conversation, or just listen in.

Children's Choir - Children (thru elementary age) are invited to gather
this Sun, Nov 29, 10am, in Trinity Hall.  The children are preparing for
their Christmas presentation on Dec 13.

Holiday Giving -Take note of the following special giving opportunities 
available this holiday season as part of Walnut Hill's partnership with the 
Nathaniel Mission.
*The Giving Tree will be up in Trinity Hall beginning Nov 29 with 
"ornaments" inviting gifts of socks, caps, gloves, etc.  Stop by, pick up an 
ornament, purchase the suggested items, and return them by Dec 13.
*Christmas Backpacks - Walnut Hill is sponsoring 20 backpacks 
($25/each) for homeless individuals around Lexington.  The Nathaniel 
Mission will use our sponsorship donations to purchase the backpacks and 
their contents.  Make your check payable to Walnut Hill Church, designated 
"Christmas Backpacks."

Walnut Hill "Cookie Swap" - Thanks to all of our cookie makers and
tasters who contributed to last Sunday's "cookie swap."  The cookie
recipes are being collected into a Walnut Hill "Cookie Book."  You may still 
submit cookie recipes by placing them in the basket in the Sanctuary foyer.

The Christmas Potluck is coming on Sun, Dec 6, immediately after morning 
worship.  Bring a salad, side dish, or dessert, and join us for this delicious 
Walnut Hill tradition.

Advent/Christmas Dates to remember:
Sun, Dec 6, Noon - Christmas season potluck
Sun, Dec 13, 11am - Children's Christmas presentation
Sun, Dec 13, 5:30pm - Youth Christmas party
Sun, Dec 20, 11am - Christmas Communion
Sun, Dec 20, 3pm - Christmas Party
Thu, Dec 24, 5pm - Family Christmas Eve Worship
Thu, Dec 24, 9pm - Chistmas Eve Evening Prayer

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mike Ward

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