A Message from Pastor Dianne

To the People of God at Harwich United Methodist Church,

November is a time for being especially conscious of what we are Grateful for.  The month begins with gratitude for our goodly heritage as we celebrate All Saints Sunday and the contributions of Christians who have in their journeys instructed and bequeathed to us our faith and how to be faithful.  It is the time of the ingathering of the harvest in these New England states.  The season for planting has evolved into a time of reaping.  The images of ingathering are plentiful in the faith and the reality that we reap what we have sown is sobering as well as a reason to celebrate.  As the month continues we celebrate Thanksgiving Day in these United States.  Of course gratitude is an attitude that we do well to carry with us all year.

Gratitude is always summoned by reflection on the blessings we have received.  However, this November, like Novembers every four years, we have the opportunity to recreate our national narrative by electing new leadership.  The ship of state sails through stormy times of turmoil and growing pains as well as through victorious currents of change.  While we separate the agendas of Church and State in this great nation, we – as Christians – are always challenged by our Lord and Savior to set before ourselves, as individuals and the Church, God’s  call to be ambassadors of the Peaceable Kingdom for which Christ Jesus lived and died and rose again.

My prayer for you is always and everywhere that you wrestle with your citizenship in the Kingdom of God and the United States.   That you cling to the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit in your life.  And that gratitude will be yours in the good race which we run to be all that God intended us to be at our creation.

Yours in the love of the Lord,

Pastor Dianne