How Can I Say Thanks

How Can I Say Thanks

Rudyard Kipling’s writings not only made him famous but also brought him a fortune. A newspaper reporter came up to him once and said, "Mr. Kipling, I just read that somebody calculated that the money you make from your writings amounts to over one hundred dollars a word.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a one hundred-dollar bill and gave it to Kipling, saying, “Here’s a one hundred dollar bill, Mr. Kipling. Now you give me one of your hundred dollar words.” Rudyard Kipling looked at the money, put it in his pocket and said, "Thanks!"

Well, the word "thanks" is certainly a one hundred dollar word. In fact, I would say it is more like a million-dollar word. It’s a small word but it has a powerful meaning. It might only have six letters but it gets across a message that few other words are capable of achieving. When that little word is missing, we feel it deeply.

This evening I would like to thank God not only for the things he has given, which we should all be grateful for, but I would like to thank God for those people that He uses to bless this congregation.

I want to thank God for the people of this church who have a desire to stand upon the Word of God and bring glory to God’s holy name. I thank God for the people of this church that you do not hinder me from preaching the whole counsel of God, week by week. I am so grateful for the support you give this church and your participation in the different planned events of this congregation.

I want to thank God for the council that have been elected by this church. I thank God for the desire that they have to do God’s work, in God’s way, to the glory of our Heavenly Father. I thank God for the council’s leadership and their desire to do their best work for God in this congregation.

I thank God for the evangelism committee and for the programs they have put together to win souls for Christ and lead people to this congregation. I thank God for their direction in reaching out as well as reaching in for Christ.

I thank God for the education committee of this congregation; the tremendous work that they have taken on in this church to develop, implement and promote the study and a learning of the word of God. I thank God for each and every teacher that takes on the responsibility of leading, the young or not so young, souls to grow in their most holy faith. I am grateful to God for all of the teaching that takes place in this congregation, the teaching among men, women, youth and little children. I thank God for the energy and time that the leadership and teachers have given in the development of the teaching ministry at Peace Free Lutheran Church.

I thank God for the finance committee that takes on the tremendous responsibility of dealing with the finances of this congregation. I thank God for the money counters and their honesty and trustworthiness to our congregation. I thank God for those men and women who supervise the handling and banking of God’s money in this church.

I praise God for the parish life committee and the wonderful fellowship activities that they have planned and organized so that we as members of this church could get to know the Lord and each other that much better. I am also very thankful for the organization and all the food events we have in this congregation. I thank God for their dedication and willingness to serving this congregation.

I praise God for the property committee who has done such a marvelous job of keeping this building in tip top running order; for all who have kept up the grounds and the equipment of this congregation. I thank God for our janitor who week by week comes in and cleans up after us and makes the building look so prepared for God’s work.

I praise God for the social concerns committee who are a source of wonderful help to those who need it. I thank the Lord that they are willing to collect clothes, food or financial help to encourage those that experience difficulty. I am so grateful to God for the willingness of so many that are on the Helping Hands Committee who give of their time and energy and resources to help those within our congregation that have great need. I am thankful to God that they have become the voice of the Peace Free Lutherans position on abortion and crisis pregnancy. I am thankful for this committee’s effort to support any disaster relief program or service project that our church needs to be involved in.