This is Pastor Tim’s article that appeared in the Evening Leader on Tuesday, Nov 29, 2022.
I hope that all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. The weather was pretty good, and there was plenty to eat. It is very easy to find things to not be happy about in this day and age, but I hope you set your gripes and complaints aside for one day and took advantage of the chance to enjoy the life God has given you.
I want to take this article today to give say some long overdue thank you’s to some people around St Marys. They say it takes a village to raise a child, and that is true, but it takes a community to give them a place to live. We aren’t perfect, but we are doing what we can to make St Marys into a place you can be proud of, feel safe in, and be thankful for.
The first group I would like to thank are the people who attend the churches here in town. We have a number of local churches, and it is the truth that churches are not buildings or pastors. They are people. Without the faithful saints, churches could not exist nor could they do any good. To all of you who support one of our local congregations with your prayers, presence, gifts, and service, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Anything that is good in our community has the influence and support of our churches. Our town is a better place because of you.
I would also like to thank all of the service clubs in town. That includes Kiwanis and Rotary, but there are many others. The Eagles, the Masons, and even the coffee club that meets at Pantry Pride. These formal and informal gatherings not only create the spice of life, but also foster and nurture friendships. It is where concerns are shared, triumphs are celebrated, and everything else is laughed at so that we can all get through our day. Any group out there that you are a part of, please be thankful for that group. Groups that I am thankful for are the Saturday Morning Men’s group that meets at Wayne Street, Rotary, my fellow ministers in town, and MAV Youth Mentoring. I feel blessed by being in community with all of you, and I am grateful for what you have done to enrich my life.
I am very thankful for all of you who had any part in restoring the Grand Opera House here in town. We had our community Thanksgiving service there on Nov 22 and it is such a beautiful building. Through the month of December, the theater will be showing classic Christmas movies at 2:00 and 7:00 on Saturdays. Come by to see a movie and just take in the theater. It is a remarkable sight. Thank you to all of you led by Doug Spencer to make that dream a reality. It is going to be a facility that this community can enjoy for generations to come.
I would like to thank Bob Warren and Trena Chiles and the rest of the staff over at the Council on Aging for your tireless efforts to connect the good people you work with. The meals you provide and the fellowship and community you facilitate warms my heart every time I come over to witness it. I was just there the same day I wrote this article. A lady told me that she was 92 and had no family left, and that her now family is the group she has at the center. God bless you for all that you guys do.
Finally, I would like to thank the people of Wayne Street Church. I would never have come to live in St Marys if not for you good folks. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve as your pastor and putting up with my many shortcomings. These past 4 ½ years have been the happiest of my life, and I owe that to the grace and patience you have shown to me, far more than I deserve. If you are able to see me as a good investment, that would be an answer to my prayers.
A few other organizations I need to thank. Spees Chiropractic for enabling me to walk standing upright, the city workers who make St Marys beautiful, clean, and safe, and to the Evening Leader for publishing these articles every week.
Now I invite you to reflect, if you had written the article, who would you have mentioned?