1. G O O D S H E P H E R D
L U T H E R A N
C H U R C H &
S C H O O L
D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 1
A M E S S A G E F R O M
O U R P A S T O R
Amid all theAmid all theAmid all theAmid all the
pressure & thepressure & thepressure & thepressure & the
gravitationalgravitationalgravitationalgravitational
pull towardpull towardpull towardpull toward
depression,depression,depression,depression,
we Christianswe Christianswe Christianswe Christians
can be confi-can be confi-can be confi-can be confi-
dent that di-dent that di-dent that di-dent that di-
vine help isvine help isvine help isvine help is
on the way.on the way.on the way.on the way.
Happy New Year!
Advent Greetings in the name of our
Lord and Savior, the risen Christ, and
the babe in the manger, Jesus!
Sometimes it is hard to be hopeful
amid the real pressures that we face
in this life. In North America, Decem-
ber is the time of year when our days
become colder,
darker and shorter.
Anxiety climbs; the
gift buying count-
down begins; stores
crowd; traffic
builds; and patience
shortens. Many of us
find ourselves ask-
ing the ques-
tion, “Will I
be able to survive until January?”
Amid all the pressure and the gravita-
tional pull toward depression, we
Christians can be confident that di-
vine help is on the way. A gentle
warm light is glowing in the stable,
and our December journey will lead
us there.
This year in Advent we will gather
each Wednesday afternoon and eve-
ning to listen to God’s promises and
sing God’s praises! Saturday eve-
nings and Sunday mornings of Ad-
vent we are also joyfully invited to
gather as a community to claim the
hope which God will present to us on
Christmas Day. This hope gives us
the courage and strength to make it
through the darkest and coldest of
days. When we light the candles of
the Advent Wreath, we are witness-
ing to the hope that is alive in us. In
turn we become living Advent candles in
the world, shinning our light before oth-
ers, sharing our hope through acts of pa-
tience, love and kindness.
Let us bring the light of Christ, the light
of promise, into the lives of those who
need it most this December. Let us shine
brightly on victims of depression, prison-
ers of anxiety, poverty, and fear as
well as on those who may act in
selfish and self-centered ways.
Let us tell and show the world
that “hope in Christ” is real
hope and a true solace from
the darkness. In doing so our
collective light will burn as
brightly as the star of
Bethlehem; leading us
and others to our Lord and the risen
Christ who rules in our hearts.
Happy New Year!
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Eric Olaf Olsen
Dear Faithful People of Good Shepherd:
2. Please e-mail all articles for inclusion in the January newsletter
no later than
Thursday, December 15thDecember 15thDecember 15thDecember 15th to church@ourshepherdlives.orgchurch@ourshepherdlives.orgchurch@ourshepherdlives.orgchurch@ourshepherdlives.org
GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH & SCHOOL
99 Central Park Road, Plainview, NY 11803
Phone: 516-349-1966 Fax: 516-349-8438
E-mail: church@ourshepherdlives.org
Website: www.ourshepherdlives.org
Ministers: The Members of Good Shepherd
Reverend Eric O. Olsen, Pastor
Judy R. Hinsch, A.I.M., School Director
Teresa Ratkowski, Director of Choir and Organist
Maureen Cooke, Church Secretary/Newsletter Editor
Lindsay Kuefner, School Secretary
Ed Indellicati, Accountant/Bookkeeper
John E. Menig, Jr., Sexton
Bobby Lang, Sexton
There are a number of things that are going on
that you may be not aware of. Some can be seen,
but most are behind the scene. I will try and fill
you in on what your council and committees have
been doing.
First, one of the things you see, the Fall Festi-
val was a great success which anyone who was
there will agree with. Next is something can see if
you look and are observant. New windows were
installed in the chancel. After church walk up and
take a look. New windows were also installed in
the choir area. These will save on our heating bills
and stop the drafts that were there. Some of them
were almost ready to fall out. Another thing you
can see, but will see in greater detail in the spring.
There is a plan up in the narthex showing the de-
sign for redoing the front that we want you to look
at it. The property committee will be placing a
box in the narthex with forms for you to comment
on the design with any suggestion for change so
that they have input from the congregation before
the plan is executed in the spring. The committee
will take your input into account as they do some
tweaking.
Last but maybe the most important the prop-
erty committee is in the process of making a total
assessment of our total plant, building by building,
space by space to compile a total list of all that
needs to be done with a time line of priorities.
With this in hand we will be able lay out plan to
accomplish the work in a orderly and timely man-
ner.
Love, Peace and Joy,
Mr. John Schwaninger
Did you make an Advent wreath?
Have you attended any of our Adult Education Fora?
Were you at the Thanksgiving Interfaith Service?
Will you be at the Lighting of the Tree?
There is always so much going on
here at Good Shepherd! We need
YOU to write a paragraph or two about
any program or event you may have at-
tended. It’s always nice to share your experi-
ences with others and encourage all to partake in our
programs!
Please consider “reporting” to us whenever you’re par-
ticipating in an event. A brief e-mail to
church@ourshepherdlives.org is always appreciated!
Thank you!
We warmly welcome Elaine Cassimatis to our
church council. Our prayers and thanks go out to her as
she undertakes this new commitment.
We also extend our gratitude to Betty Ann Jacovino
for her service to our council.
3. On Sunday, November 27th
, as
we lit the first candle of the
Advent wreath to launch the
new Church year, we received
17 members into the Body of
Christ at Good Shepherd. It
was, indeed, something to re-
joice about!
Stacey and Barry Broggy, along with their boys
Liam and Quinn decided to join their youngest son,
Declan, who was the first to become a member of
Good Shepherd at his baptism
on October 23rd
. All three
boys attend our Sunday school
program, and Declan is also a
GSL pre-K student in Mrs.
Ocker’s class. Stacey was
born and raised in West Palm
Beach, Florida, while Barry
emigrated from Dublin, Ire-
land, in 1983. Although they both graduated from
Florida Atlantic University on the very same day,
Stacey and Barry did not know each other in college.
They met in Florida and moved to New York in 1999,
settling in Syosset four years later. The Broggys
found Good Shepherd after researching nursery
schools for Declan since they had not been happy
with the school Liam and Quinn had attended, and
had heard lots of positive feedback from neighbors
and friends about our school. They visited and en-
rolled. Stacey says, “Why we started going to church was
all due to your youngest son. Declan LOVES his Chapel time
and had been asking to go to church with his family. We real-
ized that many of the school staff are also members of the
church. We had never really belonged all these years living in
Syosset. Seeing how nice everyone was and how much Declan
loved it, we decided to give Good Shepherd Church a try. We
started going regularly to church services around the end of
May and have not stopped. We are thrilled with how it has
gone. It was what we needed for our family and what we al-
ways thought we were looking for.” Stacey enjoys reading
and photography while Liam, Quinn, and Declan are
nascent equestrians at Sweet Hills Riding Center.
The Broggy family was instrumental in connecting
us with Sweet Hills Riding Center for the ponies at
our Fall Harvest Festival.
Robert & Claudia DeMauro
have been happily married for 10
years. Bob and Claudia have
known Pastor Eric and Lisa for
some time through Bob and his
father’s involvement with the
New Hyde Park Fire Department. Although her fa-
ther-in-law has since passed (2006), Claudia is confi-
dent that he is smiling down upon them, knowing
that he had a hand in guiding her and Bob back to Pas-
tor Eric and now as new members here at Good Shep-
herd Lutheran. Pastor Eric was there throughout
every stage of Bob’s father's illness, and the DeMauros
are so grateful for all the constant strength, love and
support he provided throughout that very difficult
time. They know Bob’s father is so proud to have them
here at Good Shepherd Lutheran and are truly grateful
for his guidance and love from heaven as they miss
him deeply each and every day.
Bob and Claudia live in Commack with their three
beautiful dogs: a 2 year old German Shepherd named
Pax, a 4
year old
Pug, Min-
gooch, and
Freedom, a
13 year old
Black Lab shelter dog who has been with them for
about 10 years. Claudia’s service dog, Pax, is a par-
ticular blessing in her life that she wants to share with
us: “As many of you may know, Pax is my certified service dog;
however, what I have not shared up until now is that although he
assists me with my physical condition (Spina Bifida) when
needed, Pax is actually what is known as a psychiatric service
dog. I have struggled with what is called PTSD (Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder) for most of my life. It wasn't until after gradu-
ate school in 1999 that it became debilitating.
I must first say that I consider myself truly blessed by God
and am thankful everyday for my many blessings in this life.
With that being said, as a result of 43 surgeries, all related to
Spina Bifida, over the years, and over the years in coping with
PTSD, I went from an individual who received a Masters in Spe-
cial Education in 1999 with hopes and dreams of having my own
family one day, involved in theater and frequent public speaking
on disability awareness, entertaining in my home often, etc., to
somebody who now barely ever leaves the house, struggles daily
4. with isolation, and can no longer drive more than a few min-
utes away from my own home. I leave only on occasion, which
most times is to attend church with my wonderful husband
Bob.
As a result of these challenges, I had to make the difficult
decision to leave the field of teaching many years ago and em-
brace my challenges, trying my best each and every day to be
thankful for all of my blessings.
I’m truly blessed to have Pax and my family and friends to
assist me daily with the ongoing debilitating effects of PTSD.
Some of my daily challenges include frequent social
anxiety and extreme social avoidance. Pax is also
trained to assist me with tasks related directly to the
Spina Bifida (i.e. picking up my cane if it falls, bring-
ing me the phone if I don't feel well and need assis-
tance, etc.).
I am proud to say that with the love and support
of those around me daily, including weekly meetings
with Pastor Eric for many months now, I can manage the frus-
tration behind the most debilitating symptom of the PTSD--the
inability to stay alone in rainy, cloudy or stormy weather of any
kind. This requires daily assistance from family and those
around me to maintain quality of life. I am blessed to have the
support God has brought into my life to see me through this,
including the strength God has provided me with each and every
day despite some very difficult days. With the help of a family
that stays with me almost daily and a personal assistant who
helps me two days a week, I am able to experience some daily
peace from the PTSD.
Recently, I made the decision to move forward to become an
interpreter for the deaf through a home study opportunity with a
tutor I have known for many years. My goal is to accomplish my
studies in two years and become a freelance certified interpreter.
Working with the deaf has been one of my interests since child-
hood. I am excited about what the future holds for me on this
path!
In the meantime, one of my hobbies and passions is coupon-
ing and donating certain items to the church as often as possible.
It also gives me a strong sense of purpose to purchase as many
items for the needy using coupons as well as working towards
cutting our grocery bills in more than half each week. I love the
challenge!
I am very proud to have become a member here at GSL and
am looking forward to growing in my faith day by day through
the years. Despite my extreme social challenges, I look forward
to taking it one day at a time in getting to know you and want to
thank you all for making me, Pax, and Bob feel so truly wel-
comed.”
The DeVerna Family, also a GSL school and Sunday
school family, decided to become part of our church after
worshipping among our congregation for a while and being
impressed by our “true sense of community & family.” Like
Declan Broggy, Austen “fell in love with our school and
Chapel,” so the family decided to attend Sunday service
with him and quickly made our church their home. Both
Ryan and Susan grew up on Long Island, and both are phar-
macists. Three year old Austen loves being in Miss Cindy
(Canizzaro)’s class at GSL and enjoys playing anything re-
lated to sports. His sister, 16 month old Gianna was the
youngest of our new members. The family is
very happy to be part of Good Shepherd’s family
and looks forward to Gianna being part of our
school!
Vanessa Lisco teaches physical education at the
Mid Island YJCC. She enjoys playing sports and
being with her family, especially, her pride and
joy, her four year old daughter Sophia.
Our next door neighbors in Shepherd Hill, Mary Oliveto,
Chandra Joree, andAngela Santos have been worshiping
among us for over a year and decided to formalize that bond.
Mary was born and raised in Queens and grew up in Wil-
liamsburg, Brooklyn. She has one daughter, Vicki, who lives
in Farmingdale, and a granddaughter, Daniela. Living in the
shadow of our church for nearly three years, Mary had
wanted to attend worship for a while but felt uncomfortable
to come by herself. In conversation with her neighbor,
Chandra, one day, they discovered that they both felt the
same way and decided to attend worship together. Chandra
hails from Guyana while Angela is from Guatemala. Angela
enjoys gardening, arts and crafts, and volunteer work.
Christa Ulich feels good to “come home” after years with
Ascension Lutheran Church in Franklin Square. Many of us
remember when Christa, Ellie’s daughter, taught Sunday
school here at Good Shepherd and when her children An-
drew, now 17, and Caroline, 15, were baptized here. An ele-
mentary school reading teacher Christa also brings her son,
Christopher Nickels. An eighth grader at Herricks Middle
School, Christopher currently serves Good Shepherd as an
acolyte and attends our confirmation class. We were
blessed to have him light the first Advent Candle at the ser-
vice.
Lance Parisey is the brother in law of GSL school
teacher, Cindy Canizzaro, and has also been among our con-
gregation for some time. A former US Marine and a regular
attendee at our Sunday morning adult forum, Lance lives in
Old Bethpage with his wife Joy and daughter Trinity. Trin-
ity is active in our Sunday School program, and we are
currently in the process of planning her baptism some-
time in the new year.
7. Page 7
T H O S E P R E P A R I N GT H O S E P R E P A R I N GT H O S E P R E P A R I N GT H O S E P R E P A R I N G
F O R O R D A I N E D M I N I S T RF O R O R D A I N E D M I N I S T RF O R O R D A I N E D M I N I S T RF O R O R D A I N E D M I N I S T R YYYY
T H O S E I N N E E DT H O S E I N N E E DT H O S E I N N E E DT H O S E I N N E E D
O F H E A L I N GO F H E A L I N GO F H E A L I N GO F H E A L I N G
WE PRAY FOR...
Odd Sangesland, Richard Mendelsohn
(Nancy Stingelin’s in law), Kristin Muli
(Nancy Stingelin’s daughter in law), Jason
Damiano (Anna’s grandson), Ross Dux (Irma
Carlson’s great-nephew), Sara Hill (Jim Ma-
son’s sister), Chris Cucci and his family,
Warren Wiegert, Bea McCabe, Ethel
Batchelder, Mike Adams (Maureen Cooke’s
brother-in-law), Walter & Marion Tucker
(Nancy’s parents), Robert Picciano, Diane
Helmers; Bob Rickmeyer, Joseph Portela
(Lois Kazarian’s friend), Garrett Hall (Ronn
Hall’s nephew), Carol Gross (Fred & Loretta
Ruff’s friend) Julia Kellermueller (mother of
GSL teacher assistant Sue Curran), William
Jakubowski, Susan Dowd (Maisch family
friend), Dorothy Cronin, Martin Boltizar
(Louise Lamont’s cousin), Michael Hoops,
Ed Tappen, Joe Berardino, Meghan Ortega
(Pastor Eric’s niece), Gary Lang (Peggy’s
relative), Ed Simmons (Pastor Eric’s friends),
Sonny Carfora (Ruth Strakele’s sister), Ruth
Odwazny, Ryan Faret & his family, Tyler
LaGois, Genevieve Sounia, Dr. Stanley Bart-
kow, Joy Parisey & Jerry Cannizzaro (GSL
teacher Cindy Cannizzaro’s sister and fa-
ther-in-law); Susan Boettcher (John
McGowan’s sister), Paul Hinsch, John Bins-
feld (Benner family friend), Maureen Araujo,
Henry Kirschbaum (Lori Tollefsen’s uncle),
Jay Boryea (Paul Hinsch’s friend), Ken Dixon
(Pastor Eric’s friend), Deb Gebhart (Ruff
Family Friend), Sven Faret (Gunhild Scha-
bel’s son), Reverend Patricia Large (Lori Ma-
son’s cousin), Diane Lisa (Cathy Vollono’s
friend), Janice Ridings (Rickmeyer family
friend), Francis Lee (Helen Kopf’s son),
Lynne Carlson (Irma’s daughter-in-law),
Mary Ellen Moyse (George’s wife), Don and
Francine Unger (Katalina Paterakis’s grand-
parents), Joyce Tare, Jake (Maisch family
friend) and his family, Ian Spadaro (Dottie’s
grandson), James Fields (Vincent and Doro-
thy Cronin’s nephew), Mary Gessing
(Dorothy and Vincent Cronin’s cousin), and
Rita Cunningham (Cronin family friend).
T H O S E S E R V I N GT H O S E S E R V I N GT H O S E S E R V I N GT H O S E S E R V I N G
I N T H E M I L I T A R YI N T H E M I L I T A R YI N T H E M I L I T A R YI N T H E M I L I T A R Y
USMC Lance Corporal Nicholas Ventrelli-
O’Connell (Patty Larson’s family friend), David
Jacobs (Joyce Tare’s nephew, Alec & Madison’s
cousin), CPT. Paul Rickmeyer, LTC Phillip
Sounia, MSgt. Richard Miranda, Christopher Zito
(Mary Knotek’s friend), Sgt. Vincent Mezick, Spe-
cialist Sean Hassett (Lori Mason’s cousin).
Roger Griffith
The friends & family of Reverend Richard Koenig .
T H O S E W H O A R E G R I E V IT H O S E W H O A R E G R I E V IT H O S E W H O A R E G R I E V IT H O S E W H O A R E G R I E V I N GN GN GN G
8. Are there really no anniversaries
being celebrated this month?
or do we just not know about them?
Please share with us
all those special dates in your life!
Thank you!
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9. You couldn’t tell the Jews from the Christians
Tuesday night.
We were all wearing yarmulkes, so there was no
telling who was whom. Rabbi David Senter ex-
plained to his hushed visitors the Jewish tradition.
Jews honor God by keeping their heads covered, a
constant reminder that He is al-
ways above us, watching out for
his children. And, because
Manetto Hill Jewish Center is an
“egalitarian conservative” congre-
gation, even some of the women
observe the tradition, pinning lace
coverings to their hair.
The Lutherans from Plainview’s Good Shepherd
had walked nearly a mile in the dark with Pastor Eric
Olsen to take part in the service at Senter’s synagogue.
All placed yarmulkes on their heads.
Imagine that: At this solemn gathering, a remem-
brance of the horrors of Kristallnacht 73 years ago and
the countless victims of the Holocaust, we all looked
pretty much the same.
No Christians. No Jews. Just people. Imagine?
And what would have happened if a mob of brown-
shirted bullies, empowered by a fascist regime and the
hateful swastika emblazoned on their arms, suddenly
barged into our service? What if they shattered the
stained glass and defiled the sacred scrolls and set fire
to our spiritual home? They’d point guns around the
room and brandish bats and spew hatred and threats
at all of us. Because they couldn’t tell us apart:
We were wearing yarmulkes.
They would have seen some of us praying in He-
brew and others trying to follow the English transla-
tion that spoke of love and brotherhood. We were
sitting side-by-side, reading from the same sacred
book. In part, it said this:
“The Lord our God is truth; His people Israel.
He redeems us from the power of kings. He
delivers us from the hand of the tyrants. He
brings judgment upon our oppressors.”
They would have seen us lighting six memorial can-
dles. Plainview children lit the first one, a candle for
the children massacred in Hitler’s “Final Solution.”
Two candles were lit for the murdered mothers and
fathers; another for the rabbis and teachers who were
taken first. The fifth recalled the resistance fighters:
“So few against so many.”
And the hate-filled intruders would have seen me light the
sixth candle.
Rabbi Senter humbled me by asking me to light it. He knew
my Roman Catholic father was a WWII veteran and a deco-
rated New York City fire officer. That last candle represented
the valiant men and women who rose up to crush Nazi tyr-
anny, people willing to lay down their lives for others. I was
wearing a yarmulke when I lit it.
Judy Nitkin rose to speak. She is the child of Holocaust
survivors. Her father, Joseph, was taken away to a work
camp at Mauthausen. For two and half years he climbed the
notorious 180 steps from the bowels of a German quarry with
a stone strapped to his back. He’d deposit his burden into a
waiting wagon and then descend for another load.
Over and over, year af-
ter year it went on this
way. When he got too
sick to work, the Nazis
tried to gas him to
death. The poison pellet
malfunctioned.
If nothing, the Nazis
were persistent. The
guards forced 100 naked
people into a yard that
night and hosed them
down in frigid cold. By morning, scores were dead and dying.
So the Nazis opened up their hoses again.
Somehow, Joseph and a handful survived. He would live
to reunite with his wife, Mary, and their son, Leslie. They
lived to see Judy born, and now their names live on. Judy Nit-
kin tells the story to young people. That way, they’ll “Never
Forget.”
We should do this again next year, so no one ever forgets.
Others will be welcomed. And if we work together, no one
and no regime will dare try to stop us. Never Again.
Imagine: All we’ll need is a few more yarmulkes.
Solemn Vow and Common Ground Under One God
Originally published 11/10/11 by Joe Dowd, editor www.plainviewpatch.com
Reprinted with permission from the Plainview Patch
10. the Interfaith Council
of Plainview Old-
Bethpage held its annual Thanksgiving at Temple Beth
Elohim on Round Swamp Road. This wonderful gather-
ing celebrates the diversity of God’s Children in our
community. Pastor Olsen preached at this service. Be-
low are his remarks, preceded by a bit of levity:
✛ Why did the Pilgrim eat a candle?....
He wanted a light snack!
✛ Why can't you take a turkey to church?....
Because they use such FOWL language.
✛ What did the mother turkey say to her disobedient
children?....
If your father could see you now,
he'd turn over in his gravy!
In the name of the Almighty God…
While the idea of Thanksgiving and giving thanks is
foundational for nearly every religious movement and
practice, today we gather as Americans and as religious
individuals and religious communities, as God’s children
of Plainview/ Old Bethpage on the eve of the eve of
Thanksgiving a national holiday….
Actually the first Thanksgiving was held in the fall
of 1621, sometime between September 21 and November
11, and was a three-day feast. The Pilgrims were joined
by approximately 90 of the local indigenous Wam-
panoag tribe. They ate fowl and deer, berries, fish, clams,
plums, and boiled pumpkin.
The feast was celebrated sporadically and was usually
recognized in local communities to give thanks to God
for a specific event such as the end of a drought, a bonus
crop, or the end of an epidemic of illness.
It wasn't until October 1777 that all 13 colonies cele-
brated a day of Thanksgiving. The very first national day
of Thanksgiving was held in 1789, when President
George Washington proclaimed Thursday, November
26, to be "a day of public thanksgiving and prayer," to
especially give thanks for the opportunity to form a new
nation and the establishment of a new constitution.
“Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the
providence of Almighty God, to obey His
will, to be grateful for His benefits, and
humbly to implore His protection and
favor; and Whereas both Houses of
Congress have, by their joint committee,
requested me to "recommend to the people
of the United States a day of public
thanksgiving and prayer, to be ob-
served by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many
and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by afford-
ing them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of gov-
ernment for their safety and happiness:"
“Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the
26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of
these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who
is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or
that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him
our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protec-
tion of the people of this country…
Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of
October, A.D. 1789
Yet even after a national day of Thanksgiving was de-
clared in 1789, Thanksgiving was not an annual celebration.
For that we owe a debt of gratitude to Abraham and Sarah,
no not the Patriarch and one of the Matriarchs of Biblical
fame, although they will always serve as an inspiration to us-
no I am talking about Sarah Hale, Mother of the famous
nursery rhyme, Mary Had a Little Lamb. She was also a maga-
zine editor and peace activist who petitioned then President
Abraham Lincoln to establish an annual Thanksgiving Day to
heal the divisions of the Civil War. Lincoln established the
last Thursday of November as Thanksgiving, and it has re-
mained that day ever since with the
exception of a few years that FDR
moved the date a week early in an
attempt to stimulate the economy.
Imagine that! There was an outcry
against this new Franksgiving date,
until Congress passed a law in sup-
port of Lincoln’s date… and the rest is
recent history.
But what does this all mean to
us who live in Plainview/ Old Bethpage. Are we physically,
mentally, emotionally and spiritually able to give thanks to
God? Are our minds distracted and scattered? Is our fear
over economic forecasts and physical diagnoses casting a
dark veil over our upcoming gatherings? Are we still finding
it difficult to give thanks to God as we continue to painfully
grieve the death of a beloved friend or family member? If any
of this resonates with you, know that you are not alone.
The first celebrants of Thanksgivings did so under very
difficult circumstances, and their communal feast was heal-
ing for them. Both the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag’s had
experienced sickness, misfortune and death in the year prior
to the feast. In fact Squanto, as he is commonly known, the
indigenous American who taught the early settlers to grow
their crops successfully was captured by a European Cap-
tain, enslaved, and upon his return discovered his entire clan
had succumb to small pox and died. And to make matters
even more painful, the land his people occupied was the
place of the first Pilgrim settlement! During the first winter
in the New World, the Mayflower colonists suffered greatly
from diseases like scurvy, lack of shelter, and general condi-
tions onboard ship. Forty-five of the 102 emigrants died the
ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22
11. first winter and were buried on Cole’s Hill. Additional
deaths during the first year meant that only 53 people
were alive on November 1621 to celebrate the First
Thanksgiving.
Even if we are thankful and ready to celebrate
Thanksgiving- sometimes we are sidetracked by our
efforts to make our celebrations perfect. Sometimes
the guest list or the food selection or a problem with
the desserts causes us to be far less thankful than we
wish to admit.
Roughly 22 years ago I was a student in Osaka,
Japan. Some of the international exchange students
and I decided to travel to Tokyo over a short break,
during the last week of November. On the night before
what was Thanksgiving Day in the U.S., we committed
ourselves to finding a place where a traditional
Thanksgiving dinner was to be served. That Thursday
morning we awoke to a cold rain and started calling all
of the fancy international hotels in search of our dinner.
By mid afternoon however, we were convinced that we
would have to miss the turkey, stuffing and yams. In-
stead, we went reluctantly to an American theme res-
taurant and ordered chicken dishes from a prefixed
menu. Once at the table however, our somber mood
began to melt away once we realized that we had what
we were looking for all along. We were together, we
were warm and dry and we were sharing a meal. It
wasn’t until we were still that we truly began to thank
God for the blessings we were realizing in that day.
Psalm 46:11 “Be still then,
and know that I am God.”
Often we overlook God’s blessings in our life be-
cause we have our hearts set on a dream or ideal that
seems unattainable. “If I only had this or that- or if
only things would go this way or that way.” Perhaps it
is time to listen to God’s call to be still.
In the still of this eve of the eve of Thanksgiving
my prayer is that you can and will be able to see clearly
to the blessings that are very real and present in your
life despite the distractions and hardships and chal-
lenges which we seem to be stuffed with like… well… a
thanksgiving turkey.
✛ Asked to write a composition
entitled, "What I'm thankful
for on Thanksgiving," a stu-
dent wrote, "I am thankful
that I'm not a turkey."
As you and I work on our attitude of gratitude, let
me conclude with this historical illustration that I al-
ways found moving…
One day in 1883 It is said that in New England the
Sun didn't rise! The people awoke to an eerie darkness.
They went outside to do their chores in stony silence. No
rooster crowed, no birds chirping, none of the usual sounds of
a new day. At the very start, people began to gather in small
groups to question what was happening, to wonder and dis-
cuss what was taking place. Slowly, people began to make
their way to their houses of worship. They say that by twelve
noon every religious gathering place in New England was
filled to overflowing with people on their knees crying out to
God. There were cries for mercy, people begging for forgive-
ness and others confessing their sins. They say that there were
few people who didn't pray the day the sun didn't rise. The
houses of worship were full late into the night.
As the next morning neared, great crowds began to gather
on the hilltops and the high places near their homes and
churches. People were staring toward the eastern horizon.
Every eye was fixed on that point where the sky touched the
land. Every eye watching, hoping to catch a glimmer of the
first rays of the Sun. As the sun began to come up over the ho-
rizon, people began to shout and yell praise to God, they
clapped, danced and rejoiced because the Sun shined on the
land again. As if in one voice, they began to praise the Lord for
the sunlight, the warmth and the joy of God's new day.
They had no idea that on the Island nation of Indonesia,
the sleeping giant of a volcano, Krakatoa, had come to life.
They had no idea that this great mountain exploded sending a
huge cloud of dust and ash into the upper atmosphere. This
black cloud would be carried around the world by the jet
stream. It was said to cover whole regions, covering the sky
from horizon to horizon. Few people had any idea that a vol-
cano, half way around the world, could create such a cloud
that could block out the Sun. Yet for most of those people that
was the very first time they ever thanked God for the warmth
and wonder of the Sun.
As I pause to Give thanks to God on this Eve of the Eve of
Thanksgiving, I give thanks to God for you, dear brothers and
sisters of this community we share. I thank God for our rich
diversity and our willingness to listen to each other and to
care for each other. As the community of this temple did when
the Sikh community had a need for worship space.
Did you know the native American word for Spirit is
Manitou from which the word Manetto, as in Manetto Hill is
derived, the highest elevation in our community? On this day
I thank God that God’s Great Spirit, Manitou, is central to
our community and is alive and well in our hearts and homes.
Happy Thanksgiving!
✛ What do you get after eating way too much turkey and
dressing?
Dessert, of course !
12. UPDATE FOR DECEMBER 2011
WITH COUNSELING SITES LOCATED IN:
NASSAU SUFFOLK MANHATTAN QUEENS WESTCHESTER
Prepared especially for LCC Association Congregations & Schools
Gratitude is a thankful apprecia-
tion for the gifts one receives, and
the acknowledgment that these
gifts, whether tangible or intangi-
ble, are not earned. Gratitude to
God as the sole provider of all gifts
is “the heart of the gospel” of our
Christian faith. The possession of
a grateful heart has shown, not
only through the example of one’s
life of faith but also through ex-
tensive research, to be important
to one’s overall happiness and ad-
justment in life.
Mental health therapies have traditionally been more
focused on understanding one’s distress rather than un-
derstanding one’s positive emotions. However, in 1999
Martin Seligman as the (then) President of the American
Psychological Association (APA) introduced the positive
psychology field founded on research that showed a posi-
tive, strong correlation between the depth of one’s per-
sonal sense of gratitude and one’s positive mental health
state. Ever since, mental health professionals have accred-
ited the direct correlation of one’s genuine thankfulness to
one’s positive emotional, spiritual and physical well-
being.
According to research by Kendler et al, 2003, as well as
other researchers, grateful people are less likely to be de-
pressed or anxious and more likely to have satisfying rela-
tionships with others. In addition, they have been found
to be more self accepting and to feel more in control of
their lives. Gratitude has also been seen as an asset in ef-
fectively coping with difficulties and in being more willing
to seek help from other people.
Being grateful is seldom an automatic and lasting re-
sponse to being a Christian. It takes a lot of work. Here
are some ways to cultivate this habit and thereby to in-
crease your chances of personal wellness:
✛ Learn to identify key blessings you are given each day.
You can decide to think of five blessings a day or to
write a list in your journal and add to the list daily.
These can include all areas of life.
✛ Think of someone for whom you are very grateful in
your life—from the past or present. Then, write a let-
ter explaining how you have changed as a result of his/
her influence in your life. You can mail the letter or
plan to meet with that person and read it aloud to him/
her and express your thanks. It will “make” that per-
son’s day!
✛ Focus on the progress you have made in your life. In
order to become aware of changes, keep a journal in
which you record daily perceptions and struggles.
Each month or each quarter, go through the journal
and pay attention to experiences of personal growth
that have occurred over time and to past struggles you
have overcome.
✛ Pray with gratitude: Start each prayer with heartfelt
gratitude to God for specific blessings or mercies He
has given you. Work on gradually increasing this part
of your prayer until you are in touch with small as well
as large gifts for which you are truly grateful.
✛ Learn to stop your negative thoughts about gifts, bless-
ings, or answers “you don’t have” and replace them
with positive thoughts about yourself, your talents,
gifts, or ability to work through difficult situations.
After practicing the above methods, gratitude will start
to become a habit and will only grow the more it is exer-
cised. Some people get very uncom-
fortable when being thanked and
tend to dismiss the person with an
“it was nothing” response. If this
sounds like you, give some thought
to why you are embarrassed at being
thanked. Often, embarrassment oc-
curs when one’s self-worth is not as
high as it should be. Learn to accept
gratitude as graciously as you give it
to others.
If you or someone you know is in need of counseling
support for this or any other mental health issue,
please call the Lutheran Counseling Center at 516-741-
0994 or 1-800-317-1173 or e-mail us at Cen-
ter@lccny.org. LCC has seven counseling sites over the
New York metropolitan and surrounding area.
DEVELOPING THE ART OF GRATITUDE
by Molly W. Blancke, MPA, Executive Director
“B e joyful
always,
pray
continually; give
thanks in all circum-
stances; for this is
God’s will for you in
Christ Jesus”.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
