Celebrations Within The Body Of Christ

First Communion

Sean and Paige with Council President, Pat Ganster

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. (1 Cor 10:16-17 NRSV)

I see many daily posts on Facebook from friends who post what they are thankful for. Yesterday, was one of those days that was just full of reasons for thanksgiving for the members of my local church family; all members of the one body.

First, Sean and Paige, two of our young people, who were baptized this past year received their first Communion yesterday. Celebrations of youth who are actively involved in getting to know Jesus truly are joyous celebrations. Everyone loves a celebration. Everyone loves a Baptism. It brings joy to the hearts of the members of the Body of Christ to see young people who desire to share in the body and blood of our Savior; who desire to become members of his body. We are thankful that generations after us have been filled with the desire to know Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God! 

Secondly; we have waited for a long time to hear that Sunnie, a faithful young woman from our church family, would receive her heart transplant. She has struggled with machines and hospital visits with a hope that seemed to have been dashed to the ground an awful lot for about ten years. None of us expected that she would suddenly receive a heart. She had been taken off of the transplant list because her health was failing. But, this past week she was put back on and miraculously received the gift of a new heart yesterday. The surgery was a success. We are so thankful that she will be able to live her life more fully thanks to the gift of a heart by her donor and their family. But, we are also aware that post-surgery recovery for a heart transplant is not easy and ask that you pray for Sunnie's complete recovery. 

As member's of the one body, we thank God for the gift of life here in this world and in the eternal Kingdom given to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J