Pastor's Reflection 2025-10-23
“Enough: Trusting the God Who Provides”
November has always been one of my favorite months of the year. This is probably because Thanksgiving has always been one of my most favorite holidays, not just because of the food (although I do love mashed potatoes, gravy and turkey!), but because it brings family and friends together around the table.
For the last 10 or so years Thanksgiving dinner has been at our house, which means I’m the one in charge of most of the food. A few years ago, I remember I was stirring the gravy while also trying to carve part of the turkey, and make the cranberry sauce. At the same time, someone else was rushing to set the table, someone else was arriving with desserts and the dogs were staring at all of us wondering what all the commotion was about. The house was buzzing with activity, and in the back of my mind, I kept wondering, “Maybe we need more food? Maybe we don’t have enough drinks?!” When everyone was finally seated around the table, I was able to take a breath; and a fullness washed over me. I realized that everything was just as it should be. I wasn’t full from the meal, I was full from the love around the table. In that quiet moment, I knew God had already provided everything we needed.
That’s what our 2025 stewardship theme, “Enough: Trusting the God Who Provides” is really about. It’s about letting go of the endless worry about “more”. Instead of worrying whether we have enough and thinking we need more, we can try to trust that God’s provision will be plenty. When we believe that God will provide, we discover a deeper sense of freedom to give generously, joyfully, and without fear.
This November may your hearts be full of love, may your tables be full of gratitude, and your spirits be full of the knowledge that God will always provide, and there will always be enough.
Happy Thanksgiving, Wesley family.
See you around the table of gratitude.
Rev. John Oda
For the last 10 or so years Thanksgiving dinner has been at our house, which means I’m the one in charge of most of the food. A few years ago, I remember I was stirring the gravy while also trying to carve part of the turkey, and make the cranberry sauce. At the same time, someone else was rushing to set the table, someone else was arriving with desserts and the dogs were staring at all of us wondering what all the commotion was about. The house was buzzing with activity, and in the back of my mind, I kept wondering, “Maybe we need more food? Maybe we don’t have enough drinks?!” When everyone was finally seated around the table, I was able to take a breath; and a fullness washed over me. I realized that everything was just as it should be. I wasn’t full from the meal, I was full from the love around the table. In that quiet moment, I knew God had already provided everything we needed.
That’s what our 2025 stewardship theme, “Enough: Trusting the God Who Provides” is really about. It’s about letting go of the endless worry about “more”. Instead of worrying whether we have enough and thinking we need more, we can try to trust that God’s provision will be plenty. When we believe that God will provide, we discover a deeper sense of freedom to give generously, joyfully, and without fear.
This November may your hearts be full of love, may your tables be full of gratitude, and your spirits be full of the knowledge that God will always provide, and there will always be enough.
Happy Thanksgiving, Wesley family.
See you around the table of gratitude.
Rev. John Oda
Posted in Newsletter 2025-10-23