November 21, 2022
Friends,
Behold, God’s ample blessing
Is gathered in with great delight;
Should we not then consider
How to extol the Lord aright?
God on the year has lavished
The bounty of his grace,
And on us cast in showers
His wealth in every place.
How many are the favors
Which he has to us shown!
Which his paternal kindness
Into our laps has thrown.
The fields, the woods and gardens,
Gladden the heart to look upon.
Be praised, O great Creator,
For what thy loving hand has done.
They were severely laden
With fruits on every hand;
God did produce such plenty
To brighten all the land;
When we came to the harvest,
There was far greater store
Than we had e’er imagined;
Come, then, the Lord adore.
The earth, with all the people
Can now be fed, and beasts as well
All with the wondrous plenty
Can be supplied, that us befell;
The great Creator’s bounty,
Gives all both meat and drink;
Therefore each mind and spirit,
Shall of his goodness think.
To such unnumbered creatures,
To furnish all they want,
Is the most certain token
Of God’s divine command.
This multitude of blessings
Bestowed upon us from on high,
O let us not abuse them
With aught that does his will defy.
God can at once withdraw it
By drought, or hail or rain,
If we do not behave us
As followers of his train.
‘Tis at the Lord’s disposal,
And still remaineth there;
He can at once refuse it
If we despise his care.
Then let us be more thankful,
The more his mercy does abound
And as when richly laden,
The ear of corn bows to the ground,
Let us receive in silence,
And prayerful humbleness,
The wealth which in his mercy
He kindly deigns to bless;
The more the Lord hath given,
The more should lips and heart,
Extol the great Creator,
Who doth such bliss impart.
John Frederick Stark, Daily hand-book for days of rejoicing and of sorrow, 1728, pages 475-477
https://archive.org/details/101279241.nlm.nih.gov/page/474/mode/2up
God bless and keep you,
Pr. Buchs
COMING EVENTS:
Thanksgiving Eve – Wednesday, Nov. 23 @ 7pm
Choir Practice – Wednesdays, Nov. 30, Dec. 7 & 21 @ 6pm
Midweek Advent Services – Wednesdays, Nov. 30, Dec. 7, 14, & 21 @ 7pm
Election/Budget Meeting – Sunday, Dec. 4 @ 11:30am
Elders’/Council Meetings – Thursday, Dec. 8 @ 6 & 7pm
Family Night – Wednesday, Dec. 14 @ 5:30pm
Sunday School Christmas Program – Sunday, Dec. 18 @ 11am
Christmas Eve Divine Service – Saturday, Dec. 24 @ 7pm
Christmas Day Divine Service – Sunday, Dec. 25 @ 9am