The Church of St. Paul and Incarnation
Grace Church Van Vorst
Jersey City, NJ
Year A: Thanksgiving Day
Deuteronomy 8:7-18
Psalm 65
Luke 17:11-19
Thanksgiving Unplugged
Like Grace Church, in the first days of the pandemic we here at St. Paul and Incarnation had to quickly figure out how we were going to continue worshiping during this unprecedented time when we would not be able to gather together in person, at least not for a while.
There was no one right solution and each community has had to figure this out, but here we decided to continue offering our 10:00 Sunday service pretty much like we always did, but with just me and my wife Sue – who over all these months has been lector, acolyte, and, most important of all, tech support.
Those first few Sundays, it sure felt weird – so strange to be preaching into an iPhone, sad to look out at all the empty pews.
But, what Sue and I missed the most – and what I know our congregation missed the most because they told me - repeatedly – was the music.
So, there was great rejoicing when Gail was able to return, and each Sunday since she has offered us a beautiful prelude and postlude.
Over these past few months, with not much else going on in here, it’s been fascinating to focus and really see Gail work – to hear her sing and play, almost always just by herself.
And, like all great artists who have been at it for a while, she’s secure in her craft – there’s really nothing left for her to prove – definitely no need to show off.
No, instead, there’s this spiritual and artistic purity - just Gail’s voice and the piano.
Seeing and hearing her each week has reminded me of those concerts when rock musicians sometimes ditch the band and disconnect the electronics – “unplugged,” right, so that the focus is on what is essential.
Maybe it seems strange to say this since right now you’re all watching us on your computers or phones, but I think Thanksgiving this year is “unplugged.”
By necessity we’ve scaled back or stripped away much of our Thanksgiving customs.
So, yes, there is still a Macy’s parade this morning but it’s a much more modest event than in years past.
Later today, we may still have a nice meal, but we might be eating it alone or with just a smaller than usual group of people.
And, although, unfortunately, some are rolling the dice and trying to do the holiday the way we always do, for most of us this year it really is Thanksgiving unplugged.
Which is definitely not the Thanksgiving we would have chosen, but there are blessings to be found in getting back to the essentials.
As we heard in our readings from Deuteronomy and Luke – and as we know from our own experience – it is easy to forget gratitude.
Even on day that we call “Thanksgiving,” it’s easy to get wrapped up in preparing and eating all that food - it’s so easy to take for granted the people around us and it is certainly easy to forget about the God who leads us to freedom and who always offers healing and new life.
So, as hard as this time has been, I think our “unplugging” has been good for us – scaling back and stripping away so much – leaving gratitude, pure and beautiful gratitude.
So, here’s one thing I’ve noticed.
I can’t speak to how it goes at Grace, but here when we were all in church together and it came time to pray for people in need, I used to hear lots of people whisper or call out names, identifying specific intentions.
But, when it came time for us to give thanks, to name our blessings, it was usually a lot quieter – probably out of shyness about seeming to boast about just how blessed we are, but also maybe because we didn’t fully appreciate just how blessed we are.
But now, when we’re praying on the phone, I hear so much gratitude – so many thanks given for the people we love, for the shelter that protects us, for the food that sustains us, and, yes, for our church, for the beloved community that has held together during some tough times.
I hear so much gratitude – so many thanks given for the doctors and nurses and everyone working in healthcare – for the scientists racing to deliver vaccines – for the bus drivers and train engineers getting us where we need to go – for the cashiers and clerks who keep the supermarkets open and for the delivery people who bring us items so we don’t have to risk our safety by going to the store – for the teachers struggling to somehow educate our children in this time of fear and confusion – on and on it goes, day after day, so much gratitude, so many thanks given.
So, here we are this morning – the Episcopalians of Jersey City – gathered together like we never have before on a Thanksgiving Day unlike any we’ve experienced before.
Here we are like a musician without the band, with the electronics all disconnected.
We are “unplugged” – so much has been scaled back or stripped away – leaving just pure gratitude and love – just what God has always wanted.
Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.
Amen.
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