Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside everything that impedes us and the sin that so easily entangles us. Let us run with perseverance the race laid out for us. Let us not lose sight of Jesus, who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection. Hebrews 12:1,2a

November is a month for giving thanks. For many, our thanksgiving is centered around the Thanksgiving feast near the end of the month. Our United Church of Christ Pilgrim ancestors gave thanks to God that at least some of them had made it through that terrible first year in the new land. I wonder how we will mark the end of this pandemic and the challenging year of 2020. How will we offer thanks? I am not aware of any special holidays that mark the end of the 1918 flu pandemic that killed 500 million people, a full third of the world’s population, and 675 thousand U.S. citizens. Maybe it was too painful to remember. There may not be a holiday, but I imagine that like the Pilgrims who survived that dreadful first year, those who survived the flu were also grateful.

As we navigate our way through this current pandemic with no end in sight, we might find it hard to be thankful. We have lost so many and so much. We can empathize with all our ancestors who faced the hardships of famine, war, pandemics, slavery, and injustice. None of them knew how long their trials would last. And yet so many of them faced their difficulties with a courageous faith that kept them going forward. Through their tears they could see the bright future that God intended for them. They carried on.

November first is All Saints Day which falls on a Sunday this year. On this day we will honor all those who surround us in that great cloud of witnesses. We are inspired by their faith and the way they ran their race, not losing sight of Jesus, “who leads us in faith and brings it to perfection.” This year we will light a candle for one of the saints of the church who died at the beginning of this year, Jane Woodward. Jane W. was an ancestor of Thomas Rogers, a Pilgrim who sailed on the Mayflower and signed the Mayflower Compact in 1620. Jane W. had the spirit of her Pilgrim ancestor as she faced life’s race with bold and courageous faith in God. Even during this pandemic, we can be thankful, we can lift our praise to God for all those who have gone before us and all those who are inspiring us today by their courage, especially the first responders and essential workers. Jane W. would have been first in line to help. How can we not give thanks when we can see the saints through our tears as they shine in the bright light of God’s love? I give thanks to God for all of them and for each of you, fellow pilgrims, and look forward to being with you again in worship.

Yours in Christ, Pastor David

Beyond heroism

At a recent anti-racism protest, Black participant Patrick Hutchinson saw a white counter-protester fall. Fearing for the injured man’s life, Hutchinson hoisted him over his shoulder and carried him through the crowd to seek help. Hutchinson was called a hero but says he just wanted to do the right thing.

According to Jesus, the right thing is to “love your enemies [and] do good to those who hate you” (Luke 6:27). It’s easy to love and be kind to our friends and people with similar beliefs. But when someone shows kindness to a member of an opposing group, we witness more than a hero; we see Jesus’ love in action.