Vicar Scheil Nov letter 

                                                                    Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.  Psalm 118:1 

During November we celebrate Thanksgiving and the joy that we have being able to give thanks for the bounty of things that we have in this life.  Not just material possessions but family, friends, and all of those that we hold dear in our hearts.  In the Small Catechism it says this abut the beginning of the Apostles Creed, "What does this mean?  I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them.  He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and childen, land, animals, and all that I have.  He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life.  He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil.  All this He does out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him.  This is most certainly true."  These words ring true for us especially in this time of giving thanks when we take the time to sit back and think about all that God has graciously given us over the past year.

Even more than the things of this world and the relationships of this world, each and every one of us can be thankful for the sacrifice of Christ upon that cross.  We can never thank Christ enough for his love and mercy that we experience from the forgiveness of sins that flows from the cross.  It truly is our duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him for all the wonderful gifts that God has given to us.  The foremost of gifts is the forgiveness of sins and life and salvation that we have in the love of Christ.  

Your Servant in Christ,

Vicar Scheil