Thankful for saints who have blazed a trail before us

After Halloween, most people turn their thoughts toward Thanksgiving Day. Sometimes people even use the whole month of November to lift up what they’re thankful for each day.

President George Washington first announced that the nation will celebrate an official Thanksgiving holiday on Oct. 3, 1789, by President George Washington. It was to be celebrated on Nov. 2, 1789. Thanksgiving Day was declared by President Washington to help the nation reflect upon the blessings.

“Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be,” Washington said. “That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks—for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation.”

That was our nation’s first Thanksgiving.

In our tradition, many churches celebrate All Saints Day to remember those who have gone before us and give thanks for their lives and witness of faith.

Our church was founded in 1886 by group of people from Indiana who came to the new town known as Poplar Bluff. That is 137 years of saints that have gone before us.

Each church in our community has those who went before them paving the way of faith.

It is easy to say that the past three years have not been easy for any of our churches or their vision that the founding men and women had. Many churches have struggled to get back on the path of ministry.

It finally looks like this year Thanksgiving will truly be a time of a blessing, a time to, as the hymn says, “count your blessings name them one by one.”

As I mentioned earlier, our church celebrates All Saints Day. I would like to propose something for each one of us to do as we gather around our Thanksgiving family gatherings our church gatherings.

On All Saints Day, we honored those people of faith who have come before us as we attempt to continue to walk in their footsteps. They were the ones who taught us how to be Christians, how to show love, how to behave, and how to walk with God. Many of them taught us in Sunday school, in youth group, or simply by their behavior.

Think of the people from your past whom you most revere. You’ll probably think most of their gentle, giving nature, their willingness to serve and do anything for the church, their kindness to others, or their huge hearts.

We learn from our own saints’ past. We learn the most how to behave. We learn how to act out our faith. We learn how to live our Christian life from those whom we strive to emulate. Most often we learn from our parents, our teachers, our pastors, our saints.

I’m not sure if it is true, but as the legend goes, in 1623, two years after the first Thanksgiving, there was a drought which led to a famine for the pilgrims. William Bradford was the leader of the colony. He said their situation was similar to the Romans who were said to survive on a ration of five kernels of corn.

They were not entirely without food, but were slowly starving out to the lack of grain. Bradford said that they would have considered five kernels of corn (or maize) as good as a feast! From then on, the legend says that they celebrated Thanksgiving by beginning their fest with five kernels of corn on their plate.

He said that the first kernel reminds us of the autumn beauty all around us. The second kernel reminds us of our love for one another. The third kernel reminds us of God’s love and care for us. The fourth kernel reminds us of all our many friends. The fifth kernel reminds us of that we are a free people.

Each year, we put five kernels of corn around our plates and ask each one to think of five blessings they had this past year. Many can name more than one. This year at our Thanksgiving fellowship lunch, I suggested that they think of five saints who have gone before them and shaped their faith.

But Jesus tells us to watch who we emulate. “Therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it, but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.”

Not all rock stars, athletes or social media celebrities are worthy of emulating.

So as we gather with our families and friends to “count our blessings” this year, I want you to consider five people — five saints — that have helped shape your faith walk from your birth until this day. Count them one by one.

I can name, Jim, Maggie, James, Harry, Jane, Betty, and many more saints who have received their eternal rest.

Who can you name?

Rev. Frank Chlastak began work as senior minister of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Poplar Bluff on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015.