A Message from Pastor Kaji

Sunday November 26

Click Here for Pastor Kaji’s Sermon “Lasting” from last Sunday

Dear Church:

Welcome to the Thanksgiving edition of our newsletter! We are sending this out early so we can be amongst the first to wish you a happy Thanksgiving. 
 
It is in the service of giving thanks that we will reflect this Sunday. Our text from Hebrews is brilliant and appropriate for a day that celebrates Christ’s reign. What you may not realize is that it’s also the last day of the church year; Advent begins this year as December begins, as well. This text helps us to reflect on God’s glory. My question for all of us: what is glory? How do we give thanks for God’s glory? For God’s anointing? 
 
Our Elders and music team will be leading worship on Sunday with a sermon from me. (Thank you, Elders!) Then, after church, Sunday, we encourage you to join David Sookai as he leads volunteers in decorating the church for the Advent season. Bring cocoa or something delicious to share! 
 
Finally, I just want you to know how incredibly grateful I am for you. Can’t wait to see you in church soon.

Pax, Christi, 
Pastor Kaji

SCRIPTURE
Hebrews 1:1-9 (Year A, p. 536-537):

1 Many times and in many ways God spoke to our mothers and fathers through the prophets, female and male. 2 In these last days God has spoken to us by a Son, whom God appointed heir of all there is, and through whom God created the worlds. 3 The Son is the brilliance of God’s glory and reproduction of God’s very being, and the Son undergirds all there is by his word of power. When the Son had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much greater than the angels as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs.
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Child; today I have begotten you”?
Or this,
“I will be their Parent, and they will be my Child ”?
6 Then again, when God brings the firstborn into the world, God says,
“Let all the angels of God worship him.”
7 On the one hand of the angels God says,
“God makes winds into celestial messengers,
and flames of fire into God’s ministers.”
8 But of the Son God says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
and the righteous scepter is the scepter of your realm.
9  You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”