This week we have been remembering and giving thanks for the life and ministry of Bishop Karowei. He brought so much to our life as a Diocese. In the many tributes that have been paid, there are recurring themes – his infectious joy in the Lord, his generous encouragement, and his wholehearted passion for Christ’s church.
Recalling conversations with Bishop Karowei, there is one quality that seemed to infuse them all – they were peppered with ‘thank you’s’. Perhaps this is part of how he managed to spread joy and encouragement so consistently – he was a man wholeheartedly given to gratitude. We’ve turned to God these last days with enormous gratitude for him.
We’ve also been marking Generosity Week, and it’s fitting that the week has been bracketed with thanksgiving for God’s generosity to us. The national church began with a joyful service from one of the UK’s most deprived parishes. It’s well worth watching, including a brilliant testimony, a faith-building sermon, and a contagiously upbeat closing song (listen to it once and it will be in your head all week…). Daily podcasts, activities and reflections from the national team have encouraged and stretched us. Of course, these and other Generosity Week resources can be used throughout the year, whenever you want to celebrate!
Churches across the Diocese have been celebrating God’s generosity as part of harvest services, reflecting this back to him as we give our own gifts. In every church, people give their time and skills to God’s mission – welcoming and worshipping, crunching numbers and cooking meals, caring for children and young people, and praying for communities. So many reasons for thanks!
And amidst all this, parishes have been sending pledges for their Parish Support Fund contributions; we are so grateful for the thoughtful and generous pledges being made.
As Generosity Week draws to a close, we’re reflecting on how closely generosity sits to gratitude. Bishop Karowei’s gratitude overflowed in generous words and actions. Counting our blessings seems to release a desire to share them. As King David prayed, with a kind of incredulous delight in God’s grace, “Everything comes from you; all we’re doing is giving back what we’ve been given from your generous hand!” (1 Chron 29.14, Message version).
Echoing Bishop Karowei’s example, can we invite you, just after you read this, to give yourself to a moment of thanksgiving?
Close your eyes to the glow of the screen, open your hands, and take a breath.
We give thanks for God’s people, God’s provision, and God’s presence.
- Alongside Bishop Karowei, is there another person for whom you are especially grateful today?
- Is there one particular provision from God for which you are giving thanks this week?
- Wherever you are at this moment, God is present with you. Take a moment to enjoy God’s company, as God enjoys yours.
“Trust in…. the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.” (1 Timothy 6.17 (NKJV))
Amen.
