Dear Friends,

Though we likely didn’t realize as children, thanksgiving is a mixed bag. “Joy and woe are woven fine, a clothing for the soul divine,” sang William Blake. Joys weave us past woes. Woes weave us toward joy. Thus, thankfully, we survive and thrive.

We move from Thanksgiving to HIV/AIDS Awareness Day this week. What’s thankful and joyful here? Two things are activism and coalition. Ignore the “gay disease”? The LGBTQ community built alliances and together we said, “No. We are grateful for who we are and who we love. We’ll resist what hurts us, virus or violence.”

Responding so joy may be felt-joy and woe may be felt-woe is the way of this season – a mixed bag of dark and light yielding life and thanks.

Blessings,
 Pastor Jack