Several years ago, we were given a small notebook at church to write our thanks to God in. The notebooks where green in color with a label saying “Thanks be to God for his great Gifts!” As I was filling the small notebook with my thanks to God and coming closer to the end, I didn’t want this to end. That was when I decided to purchase another notebook and continue to write my thanks to God. Since then I’ve filled several notebooks and to this day continue to write my thanksgivings down.

So many of my thanks that I write down are given for those who help out at church. I’m thankful for those who help on Sunday mornings, those sunshine boys and girls who help out once a month, our quilters and knitters who gather once a week. I’m ever so thankful for those who work with our young people, our Sunday school teachers, confirmation teachers and guides and those who do youth groups and peer ministry. So much of what we do here is because people step out in faith to do the work. That is why I love doing our volunteer appreciation party.

The volunteer appreciation party is to thank all who help out here at church. Whether you volunteer on a regular basis like our quilters and knitters or just sometimes like our funeral luncheon helpers, you are all invited to attend, so that our appreciation can be shown to you. This way I and all our staff can give you thanks and our thanks to God as well. As Psalm 111:1 says, “I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.”

I look forward to giving thanks for all of you in the company of our congregation and thanking God for each one of you. I hope that as many of you who volunteer will attend this year’s volunteer appreciation party on Jan. 27 at 11:45am until 12:30pm. We will have really tasty food, hot chocolate and an indoor snowball fight for all. Please sign up at the welcome center, online at 1stlu.org/vap or call the church office at 608.783.2236.

I look forward seeing you there; each one of you is a blessing to me. Thanks be to God!