Psalm 100, The Message
1-2 On your feet now—applaud God!
Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence.
3 Know this: God is God, and God, God.
He made us; we didn’t make him.
We’re his people, his well-tended sheep.
4 Enter with the password: “Thank you!”
Make yourselves at home, talking praise.
Thank him. Worship him.
5 For God is sheer beauty, all-generous in love,
loyal always and ever.
Though we give thanks daily, traditionally, November emphasizes giving thanks and inspires us to become aware of what we are most thankful and grateful for. From church liturgy to families giving thanks around the table, November breathes gratitude and thankfulness.
Holly Lebowitz Rossi contributed to Guideposts an article titled, “Gratitude vs Thankfulness: The Big Difference.” She writes, “To cultivate a fully, authentically positive mindset, we must practice both gratitude and thankfulness. Practicing gratitude means accepting things as they are, while also holding onto our appreciation of things that we value and have access to. Thankfulness grows out of this mindset, positioning us to be able to notice and express thanks when things do go right, like saying “thank you” or even writing a thank you note. (I find this to be like the words happy and joyful. Happy is how we feel briefly, while joy is everlasting, no matter the circumstance.)
In October’s newsletter, we anticipated October would be a very busy month, and it surely was! I am thankful that we accomplished the list of things in the program and deeply grateful that we did so together! Why, may you ask?
The year 2025 marks the twentieth anniversary of ministry as a pastor for me. I finally accepted my call to ministry in the year 2005. I am grateful for twenty years of spiritual, personal, and academic growth and all the people I have met who have encouraged, supported, and challenged me. However, October 2025 allowed me to experience something I have not experienced much in the past twenty years in a congregation: belovedness (dearly loved).
Little did I know that the busyness of preparing for the events to occur in October would be life-giving and transformative. As a creative strategic planner, I was concerned about having three consecutive joint bilingual services and did not doubt that God would show up unexpectedly! I am thankful and grateful for the personal sacrifices you made during these joint services to gather together. Creating joint bilingual services is an undertaking that can only be made possible with God’s help and the inspiration from the Holy Spirit. To God be the glory! Psalm 133:1, 4 reads, “How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!… Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life.”
No words can describe our World Communion Sunday service; this is when “You had to be there!” fits perfectly. One thing is to hold a stress ball in our hands to relieve stress, another is to hold and watch the congregation hold the world in our hands, knowing that, not only God holds the world in God’s hands, but that we, too, have a buy-in in the same responsibilities ordained by the Holy Spirit. Fellowship hour followed, and we enjoyed sandwiches prepared with all kinds of bread from the Communion Table. “How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!… Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life.”
Following World Communion Sunday was the Hispanic Heritage Month Service and Fellowship. Our Spanish congregation hosted an awesome fellowship, dressed in traditional vestments from each country and a cultural menu that satisfied our appetites, hearts, and souls! With 86 in attendance, we learned the difference between healing and wholeness. We had an altar call, and the congregation gathered at the altar almost in its entirety, and the same followed into the fellowship hall to enjoy a meal together. After the service, a group of those in attendance circled around me and prayed a very moving prayer for me. “How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!… Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life.” Our Pathways Bridges Congregational Retreat with our Bridges coach, Rev. Gina Yeske, was well attended, and the participation of those present was gold!
We began our service and the first part of the retreat in the Sanctuary, followed by lunch in the fellowship hall, and the retreat conclusion. One of the highlights of the retreat is children’s participation in conversation and planning. We cannot wait for the next one! “How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!… Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life.”
I had no idea that all of these events would be an integral part of my personal and spiritual experience at the Walk to Emmaus. And how blessed our congregation is that Butler UMC had three pilgrims participating in the Emmaus Walk: Laura Weingartner, Lori Shepard, and your pastor, Iraida. I do not want to share in detail what occurred at the Walk to Emmaus so as not to spoil the experience of those who will attend next year, but the word “awesome” does not begin to describe how beloved we felt. The Emmaus Community of our Spanish congregation led by Lourdes Calle and Manuel Vargas prayed for us around the clock. It demonstrated their agape love to each of us, something we will never forget and forever be thankful for and grateful for. “How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!… Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life.”
Our District Superintendent, Rev. Dr. Eunice Vega-Perez, presided over our church conference. DS Eunice praised the work of the church leadership and especially the work of the Board of Trustees. She also understands our challenges and offered to be of support. She shared, “Please let the other members of the Trustees know on my behalf how grateful I am for the hard work in the upkeep of the church and the parsonage. The parsonage is in excellent condition, and I thank the pastor and her husband for maintaining the parsonage so well.” “How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!… Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life.”
We are nearing the month of November, and we slow down to prepare for a time of intentional thanksgiving and gratitude. Thank you to all who made 2025, especially the month of October, a huge success! From all working behind the scenes, tech team, the cooks, the donors (every amount matters!), the setting up and taking down of altar and fellowship hall tables and decorations, to Rich Lovallo and the choir with memorable anthems, ushers and liturgists, worshipers, and participants; I am forever grateful that our paths have crossed in this mission and ministry journey that God has planned for us to travel together!
“How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!… Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing, ordains eternal life.”
Philippians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
Have a peaceful and blessed Thanksgiving!
With a grateful heart,
Pastor Iraida