Today’s verse & prayer
1 Thessalonians 5:18
18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
I read this morning: 
That’s what it means: “in all circumstances”. ALL circumstances…
When Paris gets hit with six different attacks on the same evening – we are still to be thankful. For better or for worse, we are asked to trust God in all circumstances and still be thankful. Grateful for what we do have.
An immigrant shopkeeper had a son who kept complaining, “Dad, I don’t understand how you run this store. You keep your accounts payable in a cigar box. Your accounts receiveable are on a spindle. All your cash is in the register. You never know what your profits are.”
The old man responded, “When I arrived in this land all I owned was the pair of pants I was wearing. Now your sister is an art teacher. Your brother is a doctor. You are a CPA. Your mother and I own a house and a car and this little store. Add that all up and subtract the pants and there is your profit.”
That was a man with a grateful heart and a thankful life. He’s a good example for all of us — grateful for what he had.
Doctors have found that gratefulness (gratitude) has positive health benefits. If you want to get healthier, give thanks!
Can just a positive emotion such as gratitude guarantee better health? It may be a dramatic departure from what we’ve been taught about how to get healthier, but the connection between gratitude and health actually goes back a long way. “Thousands of years of literature talk about the benefits of cultivating gratefulness as a virtue,” (professor Robert Emmons). Throughout history, philosophers and religious leaders have extolled gratitude as a virtue integral to health and well-being.
New studies in mental health have found that there are positive benefits to gratefulness:
- It’s a stress buster as well as helping you to overcome trauma
- It’s an immune booster
- It improves your physical health – less aches & pains
- Grateful people sleep better!
And then there are the other benefits:
- Gratitude opens the door to new and better relationships
- Gratitude enhances empathy and reduces aggression
- Gratitude improves your self-esteem
We all have the ability and opportunity to cultivate gratitude. Simply take a few moments to focus on all that you have – rather than complain about all the things you think you deserve. Developing an “attitude of gratitude” is one of the simplest ways to improve your satisfaction with life, including your spiritual life!
Now thank we all our God,
with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things has done,
in whom this world rejoices;
who from our mothers’ arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.
THIS SUNDAY AT BALBOA UNION CHURCH
Worship Service at 10 a.m. – ALL ARE WELCOME!
SPEAKER: Beth Anne Gray “Sun rise on a cloudless morning”
Sunday School Teachers: Kendra Walker & helpers
| First Testament Readings and Psalm | 2 Samuel 23:1-7; Psalm 132:1-12, (13-18) |
| Epistle Reading | Revelations 1: 4b-8 |
| Gospel Reading | John 18:33-37 |
Potluck Lunch:
Thanksgiving Service and Pot-Luck Lunch – Sunday November 22nd, please come and join us. Bring your favorite thanksgiving plate!
We welcome any special visitors that would like to join us for this celebration, and invite you to bring friends and family to this special celebration.
Lunch usually starts promptly after the service, so please ensure that your visitors are aware that some are pushing for an early lunch as soon as the service is over.
Prayers Concerns
Please Pray for Our Brothers and Sisters from Siria and Iraq
Lord, please remind the world that we are all brothers and sisters and there should be no violence among us, only love and attempts to understand one another.
We also remember in prayer our former pastors:
- Luis Veagra – facing health issues
- Clarence Payne – dealing with Rosita’s recent stroke
Up-coming BUC Activities
Special End-of-Year Activities From Missions Committee:
December 12 – Christmas Party
Dear Members & Friends:
Christmas is around the corner, and as every year we will receive in our church 50 underprivileged children. We need volunteers and donations of toys, clothes, piñatas and food for the Christmas party. Sharing is caring… for more information please contact to Betsy Moran to missionsbuc@gmail.com, misiones@balboaunionchurch.org or call to BUC Office 314-1004
December 13th – Visit to home in Howard – Christmas Carols & Apple Pie
Visit to Fundación Nueva Vida – We have programmed our next visit for the 2nd Sunday of December, which is the 13th of December. We would love for you to join us! We had a request from Fundación Nueva Vida for music and Christmas Carols at the home. Please coordinate with Roland Schnell, our Pastor, if you would like to participate in the Christmas Carols. (pastor@balboaunionchurch.org or 314-1004) Thank you!
December 15th – AAAM Program Christmas Party
Missions AAAM Program – All BUC Membrs and Friends are invited to Participate in our December AAAM Program on Tuesday December 15th, 4:00 pm. Join us for a Christmas party!!
Special Invitation: Carols with St. Mary’s
On Sunday, December 20, 5:00 p.m., Balboa Union Church and St. Mary’s will be doing a special “Posada” in our San Pablo/ Tavernilla neighborhood. This will be a get together to sing carols and then have a tea and a bite to eat afterwards. Joel & Pastor Roland are coordinating the details with St. Mary’s for this event.
Other news:
Building 773:
We continue ouro work sprucing up Building 773 – the basement, apartment C and other common areas. We would be happy to have any volunteers that can assist with this, and any donations towards this work would always be appreciated.
Good Deeds Program in Casco Viejo:
In BUC Missions we are Collaborating with “Good Deeds ” Program: Here is more information regarding the Good Deeds Program. And here is some information regarding their activities, if you want to participate and volunteer more actively.
Other community invitations:
Thanksgiving Invitation from Our Friends of AVACA
AVACA, the Asociation of friends and neighbours in Casco Viejo invites us to join them for their Thanksgiving celebrations on Thursday, the 26th of November (Thanksgiving day). They are holding a potluck, and ask everyone to bring starters, salads, side dishes and desert – or make a donation (if you don’t have time to cook).
They have organised a Kid’s Corner, so it is meant to be a family evening.
For more information regarding AVACA.
Dear Friends,
Please join us for “Carols of the Birds”, a musical potpourri for the holidays. The concert will be presented on Sunday, December 13, 2015 at 4:00 PM at the BioMuseo on the Amador Causeway.
Tickets will be available at the door and all proceeds will go to benefit Spay Panama. Suggested donation: $15 Please mark your calendars and tell all of your friends about this exciting event!
Together we can help Spay Panama continue their important work helping animals across Panama. To learn more about Spay Panama, please go to http://www.spaypanama.org. We are excited and are looking forward to helping in our small way.