"Thankfulness is a soil in which pride does not easily grow.”
—Former Archbishop of Canterbury Michael Ramsey

Dear Friends in Christ, October 5, 2025

Soil. What a wonderful image for thankfulness! Thankfulness as soil reminds us that...God created the dry land and called it earth. And God let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind. Out of the ground, the Lord God also formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air. And then God formed the first man from the dust of the ground (Genesis 1-2).

Out of the soil, God formed humankind and blessed us with the gift of life. And so we pause this Thanksgiving Season to thank God for our creation, our preservation and all the blessings in our lives.

How blessed we are to walk on God’s earth, every step on sacred ground.

How blessed we are to breathe fresh air, to drink clean water, to live amongst lakes and forests and to gaze upon a big sky unobstructed by city skyscrapers.

How blessed we are to live in a country where we can worship without fear.

How blessed we are to live in a community where people genuinely care for one another and help each other out.

And most of all, we thank our gracious and loving God for the divine gift of His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who loves us just as much as He loved His firstdisciples and who will love us to the end. As you celebrate with family and friends this Thanksgiving, I will be thanking God with my whole heart for the blessing you have been to me in my ministry for almost two years now. What an honour and privilege it has been to serve the Lord in your midst. Thank you!

AND THANKS BE TO GOD!

Reverend Connie+