Since childhood I have loved the hymn, "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come." This hymn is perfect for both Thanksgiving and Advent with its themes of gratitude, harvest, and reckoning. The lyrics were composed in 1844 by the Reverend Henry Alford, a priest of the Church of England. I especially love the second stanza:
We ourselves are God's own field,
Fruit unto His praise to yield;
Wheat and tares together sown,
Unto joy or sorrow grown;
First the blade and then the ear,
Then the full corn shall appear;
Grant, O harvest Lord, that we
Wholesome grain and pure may be.
Becky and I wish for you and yours a joyful Thanksgiving, filled with good food and good times. And we look forward to worshiping with you on the first Sunday of Advent later this weekend. Our Advent 1 preacher will be a former teaching colleague of mine at the School of Theology at Sewanee, the Reverend Ben Anthony, PhD. I know you will make Ben+ and his family welcome as we together begin a new church year.
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