November is here, and with it, the weather dropping into chillier and chillier digits. More than boilers and furnaces coming back to life, though, is the sense of gratitude many feel during Thanksgiving in the US. The first of the month reminds Episcopalians of all the saints in our lives and hearts, and the end of November gifts us a special time of Thanksgiving; this year, the start of our Christian new year falls on the first Sunday of Advent, November 29, 2026.
One of my daily practices is writing in a gratitude journal. The process isn't complicated or time-consuming. It only takes a few moments to record several things for which I'm grateful: a healthy marriage, sobriety, loving adult sons making pretty good choices, serving as rector of St. John's Episcopal Church, and many other relationships.
Gratitude isn't some abstract idea. Gratitude is a theological concept, a spirit of thanksgiving for the abundant grace we receive from the One who created all humanity. I am grateful for the gift of St. John's and our spirit of inclusion and work toward belonging, and I hope you are grateful for these values, too.
I invite you to consider how you might help another feel and know they belong with St. John's this November. I was once welcomed as a newcomer to St. John's, as was my wife. You were once welcomed as new to the congregation, too. What helped you know you belong? Consider what helped you feel a sense of inclusion and belonging. How might you offer that to another?
