We are back in the Sanctuary at 11am on Sunday Mornings!!!! Unfortunately, we will not be able to provide the worship experience on zoom, but it is our hope to record on the church Facebook page. You can access the service live streamed from the sanctuary at https://www.facebook.com/WestHollywoodUCC. If you are not able to attend worship in person, we ask for your patience and understanding as we do our best to link to our FB page.

Commentary

Sunday, November 21st, we will acknowledge Thanksgiving Day during our 11AM worship service. This national holiday has its roots in the coming together of the Puritans, who were also known as the English Separatist Church and the Wampanoag Indians for whom they thought were heathens. The Puritans were also joined by a group of townspeople on what is known as the first Thanksgiving Day in 1621.

As The Smithsonian points out, “discussions of this event are often centered around the settlers, but Native Americans had been on the land for centuries before, and the story from their perspective obviously far predates this feast. When Europeans began coming to what is now known as the United States about four years before the Mayflower arrived, they carried foreign illnesses which killed Native people at exceedingly high rates. That then made it easier for colonizers to take over these lands. There’s also the fact that settlers came to the land to kidnap and sell Native Americans into slavery.”

While I will not take the time to go into the complete history of this National Holiday, I encourage you to read how it eventually became a National Holiday, despite the issue of separation of church and state. Every day is Thanksgiving Day. Every day we are thankful for another opportunity to live and to be effective in this world. Thanksgiving is not just about celebrating the Harvest, but it is also about transitions. Seasons of change.

During this season of Covid, amid challenges and restrictions, vaccinations, and booster shots, expressing and acknowledging our gratitude is more important than any other time in our lives. For every second of breath and movement -we give thanks. For every moment given to live life abundantly we give thanks.

See you Sunday!

Pastor Janice

15 Let the peace of heart that comes from Christ be always present in your hearts and lives, for this is your responsibility and privilege as members of his body. And always be thankful. Colossians 3:15-Living Bible