Poquonnock Bridge Baptist Church

“Thanksgiving”
A Poem by Joyce Rupp

cornstalks once tall and green
are now brown, dried, surrendered,
ears of corn with full kernels
shaped and turned golden
in a summer of sunshine and rain.
they fill to fullness wide wagons,
falling now into tall, round bins,
copious in their generosity,
abundant in unrestrained harvest.

this plenitude of the land
signals my own gathering of grain
as I turn to the bounty
found in the field of my heart.

all those daily gifts
that grace my humble path,
come tumbling forth,
like a corn harvest
of golden goodness.

they are my bin-full,
my thanksgiving treasure,
my wide wagon of richness.
they are my sureness
that the God of the harvest
still hurrahs.

As I write this, I am aware of new waves of pandemic here in CT, and increasing cases across the globe; storms and fires bringing devastation to our country; civil rights movements calling us toward justice and peace; a divided nation compelling us to vote and exercise our civic duty.

Yet as I write this, I am also aware of the abundant bounty of God’s goodness in our lives; the unrestrained generosity of your hearts toward me, each other, this church, and the world; the daily gifts that tumble forth from your hands, the thanksgiving treasures you always provide.

As you read this, I will be taking some time off in order to rest my spirit and restore fullness to my soul, and I will resume these weekly words on November 18th. If any of you have any pastoral needs over the next two weeks, please call the church office. Until then, know that because of you, I have faith in the God who still gives us reasons to rejoice…Pastor Claudine