Thanksgiving is to recognize. The words "thank" and "think" have the same root. To thank is also to think about who we are, where we come from. To recognize our relationships, our dependency. To give thanks is to think about, to recognize our place in the web of life. It is to think, to recognize ourselves and the world with humility. It is to know that we live, we thrive, because of what others and what God have given us.

Thanksgiving is to give. It is to recognize that just as we live, we thrive, because of what others have given us, so we must give in order to sustain others, to maintain the web of life. It is to recognize the interdependency of life. To think, to recognize what we must give. True thanksgiving is stewardship.

Paul began his letter to the Thessalonians with thanksgiving. "We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and father." I am a relatively new member at University Baptist Church, though you and your ministry have touched my life, have made a difference in my life, on numerous occasions in recent years. Paul's words of thanks to the Thessalonian saints resonate for me when I think of UBC, when I think about why I hope to grow in my relationship with you in coming years. I give thanks to God for you, remembering you in my prayers and thanking God for your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope.

I give thanks to you for calling Nadean Bishop as your pastor, and sustaining her ministry all these many years, for sharing her with the broader community, allowing her to provide leadership and encouragement to the larger gay and lesbian community. I thank you for being a witness within your denomination, the American Baptist Churches/USA. Thank you for witnessing to the power of an inclusive and diverse ministry, for embracing and celebrating all whom God has gifted and called.

Last spring, I learned of UBC's work as part of the Inter-Faith Hospitality Network, now Families Moving Forward. I gave thanks to realize that even though you are a relatively small congregation, you organize about sixty volunteers to extend hospitality several times each year. In so doing, you as a congregation raise a witness to the larger society about the need to combat homelessness, about the need to equip people who are homeless with resources to help them move forward. Months before I considered coming to work as UBC's church administrator, I volunteered to participate in Families Moving Forward here for one night so I could learn more about how you do it, and share your witness with Lyndale United Church of Christ. Lyndale UCC is also a small congregation that is seeking ways that it can help address the problem of homelessness. At Lyndale, we have been encouraged by the work you do, and see it as a sign that even a small congregation can do things that make a difference.

Since working here as your church administrator, I have learned more that encourages me and that I give thanks for. I give thanks for your witness for peace and justice in our relations with other nations. I give thanks for your relationship with Second Baptist Church of Leon, Nicaragua. I give thanks for your faith that we are more likely to find God in generosity than in judgment, in openness than in defensiveness, in liberality than in meanness, in liberal-mindedness than in dogmatism. Your generosity, your liberality of spirit warms my soul. It restores my faith to know what you have done and what you can do.

I fervently hope and pray that we won't become weary. I hope we will not lose sight of the importance of who we are and what we do, even though it may have become mundane because of its familiarity to us. Even though we may be painfully aware of our own warts and weaknesses, our failings, even though we may wonder at times if what we do is good enough, even though we may get tired, I hope we will see, we will think, we will recognize what a blessing this church is, how important our ministry is.

After giving thanks, Paul reminded the Thessalonian saints of the generous way in which they had welcomed him, and the openness with which they had embraced the word of God. They had "received the word in much affliction." They had come together through oppression and persecution. Yet despite their affliction and despite their awareness of the "wrath to come," they had received Paul and the word of God "with joy." Their hospitality to Paul was so warm, so complete, Paul says, it had become renowned throughout the entire region.

As I reflect on the meaning of these words to me, to us at UBC, I consider that we face a major change in the near future. In a few short months, Nadean is going to retire, and we contemplate the task of choosing a new pastor. This change will surely entail some affliction: sadness as we release a pastor who is dear to us; fear as we face an unpredictable future; uncertainty that we will be able to sustain the kinds of ministry we have in the past; anxiety about whether we can grow and thrive or whether we will lose members. But despite the change, despite the affliction that may come with it, we should welcome the future as the Thessalonians welcomed Paul and welcomed the word of God: with joy and thanksgiving.

I chose to enter my relationship with you, to be honest, with some anxiety and uncertainty. When I first learned about the possibility of working here, I was so excited, because I love Nadean. I have worked with Nadean before, when I was connected with Lutheran Campus Ministry at the University of Minnesota. I have acquired such immense respect for Nadean, and I really looked forward to working with her again. In the interview process I learned that Nadean would be retiring in January, and I became very disappointed. To be honest, it made me think twice about coming to work here. But as I began to learn more about you, about who you are, about what you have done, about the faith and love and hope here, I have come to embrace this opportunity to welcome the future with you.

I don't mean to talk as if Nadean is already gone. I feel honored to be a part of her ministry with you even for these few months. I look forward to what we will accomplish before she leaves. But we are all thinking about the new millennium, about what lies a few short months ahead. And I am even more honored to be a part of this community–as stressful as it may be as we make all the adjustments we will have to make–as we take the next step, as we consider what we yet may do. My great hope, as she prepares for the coming transition, is that I can do everything possible administratively to help ensure that it will be a successful transition.

May we welcome the future as the Thessalonians welcomed Paul, despite our affliction, with faith in God and joy in the Holy Spirit, in Jesus' name. As we celebrate Thanksgiving individually and as a church, my we acknowledge, and be proud of, and celebrate the good works we have wrought together in God's name, with remembrance of the blessings we have received in being a part of this ministry. May we continue in "patience of hope," in Jesus Christ's name. Amen.