Thanksgiving is a genuinely American holiday, rooted in the earliest days of the Puritan colony, the first one an expression of thanks shared with the Native Americans who had helped them survive the winter. It has become more known in recent years for the traditions of eating too much and watching football games. It is about family gatherings and the calm before the Christmas shopping frenzy (oh, Black Friday, thou art truly dark!).

Here on the Plateau, we have a longstanding tradition of gathering to give thanks in a community Thanksgiving service, organized and hosted by churches of the Plateau Ministerial Association (Wednesday, the 26th, at the Summit, 7 p.m.). See you there!

We really do have good reason to give thanks to God, even though many of us still struggle with insufficient work to make ends meet, worldwide tensions that erupt in violence and war in too many places, and even the incidents of violence that strike here at home. In spite of everything that is wrong in the world, God’s goodness still breaks through People love each other and sacrifice their own wants to take care of someone else; the beauty of the earth still inspires awe and wonder and reminds us to take care of what God created for us; and those of us who have received more than we need still respond to the needs of people around us, our neighbors on the Plateau, and share freely.

When my wife and I moved here 10 years ago, one of the first things we saw was the way different churches worked together to help people struggling with financial and spiritual issues. We were introduced to Plateau Outreach Ministries during our first visit to Enumclaw and we were amazed at the spirit of cooperation we saw at work to do good things for our neighbors. We have lived in many communities during our 39 years of marriage and we have found great things and wonderful people in all of them, but only here on the Plateau have we found the genuine and persistent effort to serve God together that the churches of the Ministerial Association have shown.

It is one of the things for which I give thanks and not just at Thanksgiving. Every week I have occasion to be reminded of the good that can be done when believers in Jesus work together and work with the community to do the good things that need to be done to take care of each other. It is a wonderful thing to be part of and I am very thankful that the community has such a heart to be compassionate, and has proven that over and over again by their support for the ministries of POM.

This happens to be the time when POM kicks off the “Neighbors in Need” campaign, reminding all of us who have been blessed financially that the most genuine expression of thanks is to share with others the blessings that have come to you. Please watch the paper each week and hear the stories of people whose lives have been touched and blessed by your participation in this good work and respond according to the ways you have been blessed!

I am thankful for all of you. May God’s richest blessings fall on you!